The Van Buren press., 1861-05-29
A Word to Volunteers.

We had intended to say something. as a
precauton, to the health of our volunteers.
but our eye falling upon an article in one
of our exchanges expressing pretty much
our views, we give it place in preference
"Wsr is not q trade With the people OF this coun-
try Therefore in the hustle and excitement OF or
gaaiz;ng large army, many important iestur.s "a
such organization will be overlooked tits very hAe
y that NOT one of twenty of the volunteers who have
eniisted has taken into serious consideration the
duties and hardships they will all have to undergo
in the event of prolonged or even brief campaign
they have not thought OF the eneet whieh t.e
health /; they doubtless, imagine that they have
enlisted for fun not for labor for sport, not Tor
hardships For who have labored regu-
lariy in the workshop, in the held. or be-
at regular hours have slept IN warm, comfortable
beds, no change could scarcely be greater than to
camp out to he obliged to conform to the roEtine
and discipline of military life; TO sleep on scant
little of that) to stand guard during rainy nights
to be exposed to all sorts of weather, and in all
sorts of climates, and to be transported over the
country as occasions might demand. For regular
soldiers it is not an easy lIfe The little comforts
and uxuries of home have to be dispensed with
We have known many man put " under the
weather " from single days camp duty. 1t Is
necessary therefore, that the volunteers should give
been truly said, the recruits have much more t.
fear from disease than from the enemy's bullets at
present They cannot be too careful OF their health
and to this end, the food Of the soldiers should be
furnished and prepared with skill and faithfuness.
It was an old maxim in the English army that a
full stousch will do more fighting than an empty
oms aal however erroneous 1t may be in literal ap
pica,ioR the maxim certainly contains some grains
Of truth. An i'll fed or halt-starved army cannot
sustain half the fatigue perform half the labor
of one that is well -provisioued. Ii the enemy al
ways had in his granaries or depots of provis
ions, it might be we'll to attack him with wolfsl
and hungry body of men, on the principle of the
man who. to urge the mule forward, suspended a
bundle of oats before the animals But nc
spur of that kind is needed to urge soldiers tc
the cannon's mouth they have worthy in
centives to brave death and gain glory. But they
need to be wellcare for in every point, that they
may have the necessary strength and activity tt
| perform their full duty.
" But the men have something to do in this mat
ter. They may have the best provisions and tht
most comfortable clothing, and all the safe guard:
and conveniences Of military life, and still be the
victims of disease and death, simply through in
attention to the ordinary rules Of health. At the
outset they may suffer from the mentioned
at first but those evils will time be remedied and
their health afterwards, will, in great measure
be in their own hands. The diseases which mos
a1ict camps and decimate armies, are, it is assert
ed, by good authority. easily averted though very
hard to cure. They arise and more extensively
prevail where filth and foul air exist, and wher,
vice and intemperance mark the conduct of the mer
But the opposite of all these cleanliness and regu
lar habits. morality and temperance, will avert al
the evils which the others engender. The mean:
of health, then. easily attainable, and belong
no more to the rank than to the file, Have a car,
volunteers Of your manner of life, far it is
under your control Don't run into the excesses
which to some seem the cOnconitants of a soldier:
| life. You enlisted not for a spree" or
=" lark - something better has called you frou
your work-benches and your fields, and it is duty
you owe to yourselves and to the in which
you are engaged, that you conduct yourselves in
manner that will not demoralize and enfceble tn,
armies of the South You are men, engaged in
work fitted for the hands of real men to it tha
you perfom il WELL