The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-06-24

few hundred men might have bocn found in the largest
city in Texas If houses scarce, lumber it secms
not for while the thus exposed comforss-
BILE stables built by tho government to shelter
muesstabes such than half the troops at regu-
lar established posts in Texas would have been glad
occupy. is believed by those who have the best
opportunities Of judging, that more than half of
the sickness, the drinking, and the offences result
ing from drinking, directly attributable to tn
discomfort ana exposure in which the troops are
obliged to live Is it strange that who not
ally very strict observers OF the precepts of the Maine
liquor law and who for year after year. thus expos
ed, should occasionally drink more than is prudent.
is not very phics pcal but Il Is very natural that, un
der such circumstances. they should seek tc1pj
rnry oblivion OF their discomfort.
it was said that tho British troops before Scbasto
pol nadeauaely supplied with proper food 1t was
made grave matter Of complaint that they could
procure the usual supply Of porter and ale. Oar
troops have generally though not always, received
their regular allowance OF fat picked pork, beans and
poor prairie beef but many soldier has sickened, and
fingered, and finally died of loahsome disease-the
scurvy-simply because he could not procure
few fresh vegetables such potatoes onions is said
that tho English government entered into arrange
mcnts by which its soldiers could procure malt liquors
reasonable terms. If government had made any
arrangement by which its troops could have procured
few potatoes onons any terms, the lives of many
men would have been saved, and many constitutions,
now diseased, would be in healthy state.
Great complaints made that proper hospitals
supplied for the sick in the Crmea Our soldiers
have yes, and do soken under canvas nger under
canvass die under Canvass and are buried in collins
made of bacon boxes and barrel stavos All this not in
campaign in foreign country, but at home in their long
established posts One grievance endured by the British
before Sebastopo has not been endured least in the
aamc for v WaS
said that the English troops suffered much time for
tho want Of warm clothing Our troops in the far South
have received their regular allowance OF clothing but II
has been OF denticaly the description that they
would have received had they been stationed our
treme Northern frontier The troops mustered on
the Rio Grandc the last day Of June when the ther
probably at JOG degrees above zero and at Fort
sncllng the Upper Mississippi the last day Of De-
cember when the mercury probably 80 degrees below
zero, in identicaly the thick, heavy w0ollen
clothing.
The points Of difference between the relative situation
OF the British and United States troops all in of
the former The sympathy and good wishes of than
half of Europe with the allies The eyes Of the
civilized world were on the troops in tho Crimea.
They were engaged in a stupendous war. There
was Immediately before them great work
to be accomplished. Sebastopol was to be
taken. Tho privations which they were endu-
ring but temporary and II was generally believed
would be terminated by the fall of the stronghold OF Rus
sa in the SOUTH and powerful rival nation would be
crippled Honors and rewards awaited those who should
come rhanty through the great struggle pensions
and protection awaited the crippled and the widows nad
orphans of the sain No such encouraging prospect s
held out to troops Not in thousand in the
States knows where they stationed what they arc
doing They often sent TO defend barren country,
xyhi vauld NJ uuda tha favor
stances sell for than two cents per in any
market, and 70 protect sparse population, many
Of whom than the Indians themselves.
Their service of the most harassing and dshcartcnng
kind Year after year they hurried of a moments
notice. in pursuit Of Indians whom report generally
founded, says have been forty or fifty miles of. II a
wild Is killed, it is taken for granted than
Indian killed it, horse Is stolen, it Is charged to the
Indians troops sent to hunt them. For weeks
and months have troops hunted these Indians
country which for hundred of miles does not supply
drop Of running few water holes, often pu
trid and muddy that the animals shun them supplying
the only water for man or beast. They have travelled
day after day under burning sun, and night after night
have slept on the ground, often exposed 70 cold
north wind peltng rains, such only known in
Southern ATTITUDES with nothing but the canopy Of heaven
over them. And they have subsisted day after
day on hard bread, or handful Of rice
ana little C0ucc. Ana IRON all OF tnS tno
best success that they can hope for is that
few half starved savages may be overtakcn, and killed
made prisoners and few worthless ponies captured
Or the pursuit may bo through almost impenetrable
swamps hammocks, sometimes in small boats, some
times wandering through mud and water, and always
exposed to masma engcnderng disease. Or not en-
gagged in the active pursuit Of Indians the troops are sent
to watch water hoesholes in which during the rainy
the water from surrounding prares collects and
in sagnan state supplies the only drinking water that
be found AT these water holes companies or deach
ments often cncampcd for several months. Each day
a portion Of the water is evaporated by the fierce
heat Of the sun, and each night wide margin
of mud, which the previous night was covered, Is
exposed, and throws of noxious miasma, producing
the violent of the Southern country So seriously
does this bsrbarous mode OF life affect the health of
troops that posts which not regarded unhealthy
unusual thing to find onehird Of the command in
the hospital.
There no murmuring complaining at the hardshps
endured scouts They regarded as inevitably ne
cessary from the nature Of the service, and duty is per-
formed with aacry. But when tho troops return TO
their regular posts where they promised, in
crung advertisements comfortable quarters, and find
their wrctched encampments utterly destitute Of every
comfort would be unnatural IL there not heard
expressions Of discomfort These discomforts at
regularly established posts rendered moro Calling
because they known 10 be unnecessary. 1t is be-
leved for instance that saving OF money would have
resulted to the government If the troops in Texas had
been comfortably housed in buildings of stone
dried brick and thatch, such the Mexcans They
could have been built by the troops and the money
pended in the supply Of tents (Which out very
pidy in this cimate) would have purchased the
sary lumber and thachng grass. Indeed, company
tho artillery company At Fort Duncan--wsarcd out
with long suffering and hopo deferred, has, with It's
labor and money, built for themselves such quarters II
is surely novelty in the military service Of this any
other country that company osoldier should subscribe
the money TO build their quarters.
It has already been intmated that these prvaons and
hardshps attributable TO the msapprchension which
prevails in regard to the army is to be hoped thai
the time Ia far distant when tho people will be better
informed on the subject and it is conadently believed