The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-08-13
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From the Litchfeid County Past.
UNITED STATES ARMY.

According to the official Rsturns made to the
Secretary of War, relative to the state and con-
dition of the army of the United States, bearing
date Oct. 81, and Nov. 5, 1927, IL appears that
the number of non-conlmissioned officers, mu-
siciars, artificers, and privates, at that date,
making g the actual strength of the army" was
4,36o. OF these, 5S7 were reported sick-226
in arrest or confncment-2926 in ordinary
" for duty, and 1871 on daily duty From this
statement we learn that about every seventh
man M the service confined by sickness
that about one in nineteen was held as a prison
er under arrest, or in confinement, and that but
about one man IN eleven was in the performance
OF actual daily duty. And this does NOT appear
to have been an extraordinary case of sickness
among the troops, or of dsorderly conduct, In
one OF the documents accompanying these re-
turns, stating the number of new recruits which
will be wanted to supply vacancies in the army,
for the year 1923, to the number occasioned bv
the expiration of the terms of enlistment is ad-
ded 1000 for casualties by death, desertion,
and discharges for inability" Hence it appears
that the number Of one in seven sick, all the
time, and about one in five or six dying annual.
ly, is no evidence of an uncommon DEGREE of
sickness or death IN the army. But where else
60 we meet with such an alarming proportion
of diseased and dying men Should an epdem-
lc visit any one of our towns, and carry such
havoc as this in IFS train, history could only
point US to the earthquake and the plague, for
parallel to it. Should such mortality visit
the city Of New York, in one year it would
sweep off upwards of 80 900 of its inhabitants
The forts in which these unhappy victims of
death are stationed, are generally situated upon
some commanding eminence, airy, salubrous
and healthy. Neither are the men when thew
enlist afflicted with incurabe diseases. None
but the young, healthy, and robust, can pass
muster with the recruiting officer. What is it
| then that sends SO many of our fellow men to
an early ard dishonored grave? The answer is
given by the Commissary General in his adver-
tisement for $1,000 gallons of whiskey, to be
supplied within the period of nine months 2547
barrels of first proof whiskey annually distributed
| to about 1000 men No marvel that death, with
all its horrid train Of diseases reigns triumphant
in the army No marvel that one thousand
new recruits are annually called for, to sup
ply the vacancies occasioned by death, &c
| This mighty stream of liquid poison, furnished
from the national treasury, is sufficient to sweep
that number of men off the stage with ease.
| And now let us look at the expense which this
wanton waste of life brings upon the treasury.
I The cost Of the whskey, including transporta-
ton to the different stations some of them from
I to 5000 miles, will be at least so cents per
! gallon, making 45550 dollars; a pretty round
] sum with winch TO disable and XIII American
soldiers. But this sum is not at all the actual
expense which this whiskey brings upon the
treasury. The Adjutant General in his esti-
mate Of the expenses of the recruiting service,
allows a bounty of $l2 per man, for new re-
cruits premium of So per man for the enlist
ing officer, and 81 per man for contingent ex-
penses, as magistrates fees, certificates &c.
| Thus to fill this 1000 vacancies occasioned by
death, desertion and inability, costs the treasury
S2l 900 per annum. Had the French grand ar
N.Y. during the ten years gifts triumphs, when it
numbered 100000 men, been at the same ex-
pease for spirits, and suffered the same mortal
ity, the former would have amounted in the ten
years to sos 900, and the latter to 10000.
The army would have buried or changed itself
twice during that time, without any assistance
from the enemy, or the expiration of single
enlistment term. Among all the expenses of
the army, which, Including pay, subsistence
and clothing, amount to about 81 100000, we
find no mention made for the moral and re-
ligious welfare of the soldiers. Are we a
Christian nation, and our government compos-
ed of men of our own choice, and let such
reckless triflng with the souls of men pass with
mpunity Is this land of Bibles, of Sabbaths,
and of temples, consecraed to the worship of
Jehovah, and yet our public servants, employ
cd as armed men for national defence, be poi
soned both soul and body at our cost And
shall the friends Of religion set down quietly
under the full knowledge of these things, with
out entering ono protest against such Heaven
daring impiety