The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-10-16
The Climate ON Soldiers.

KC OAAAAkGGC UAn SO1ukCESs
The Crlmean war proved to English
men the necessity for an Army SAM
tary Commission, which should have
the largest powers and privileges for
the energetic prosecution of measures,
by which the health Of troops may be
preserved We are wisely taking ad-
vantage Of their experience Our
soldiers will fight better for knowing
that their health and comfort are
looked after by men who have the
matter at heart, and who arc fitted by
their studies and experience to per-
form the work thoroughly.
The enemy destroys scarce ten per
cent. Of an army Govern ment re-
turns show that of onr forces in Mexi-
CO, regular and volunteer, only one
thousand five hundred and forty eight
died in battle, while twelve thousand
three hundred and forty eight died of
disease. and twelve thousand two hun
Ore ! aid fifty two were sent home OF
account of sickness Of the French
army in the Crimea, seven thousand
five hundred men were slain in battle,
fifty thousand persisted by disease, and
ixty-tive thousand more were dischar-
ged as invalids. OF nearly $4,000
English soldiers in the Crimea, 4,4l9
were slain in battle or died of wounds;
but l6, 298 died of disease at the seat
of war, and nearly $4,000 we're sent
home sick. With the timely labors of
our sanitary commission we may hope
to show results much more encourag-
ing than these, in our army returns at
the close of the war.
Meantime, as much has been said
OF the perils TO our northern troops, of
the heats and feverS of the southern
states, it will not be amiss to look at
the mortality tables of the Mexican
war Here we find what the British
have also discovered in India, that
men born in aud coming from colder
climates, bear fatigue and exposure in
torrid regions much better than troops
native to the warmer cline. The re-
bells threaten MS with their allies, the
mosquitoes and yellow Jack :" but
as we shall presently show, in Mexico,
where northern and southern men
fought side by side, the men of the free
states bore the rigors Of the climate
much better than those of the slave
states. The record is very curious
one; and proves that an army of
gentlemen" is not altogether a desir--
able force for anything but militia
musters.
On April 8th, l848, the Secretary
OF War made report to the United
States Senate of the losses of the vol
unteer forces employed in Mexico
From this it appears that seven north
ern Observation-Disclosures, New York
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, In
diana and Illinois-furnished in the
course of that war, %, 573 men. OF
this force the total loss from disease
was 1881 men; less than one eieh h
OF the whole. Nine slave states-Vir-
GINA, North Carolina. South Carolina.
Georgia. Alabama, Mississippi, Loui-
slana, Tennessee and Kentucky fur
nished 22,S98 men. The loss f.om
this force, by disease and death caused
by disease, was 4,3l1, or more than
one fifth very considerable differ
ence in favor of northern troops.
When we go into particulars we find
that Massachusetts lost of LOAF men
but 81 by disease, while South Caro-
lima, furnishing 1854 men, or seven
more than Massachusetts,, lost not less
than 338 by disease. Mississippi lost
1853 men by disease, out of 2,3l9,
while Indiana, furnishing nearly double
the number. namely 4,47O, lost only
1853. Georgia lost 362 men by dis
ease, out of 2,0f7, while New York
lost but 1873, of total of 1866
North Carolina sent 936, and lost 2S3,
"hiio NoW Jersey sent 424, and lost
but " Pennsylvania sent 2,464 and
lost Al but Mississippi lost 1859 out
OF 2,3l9. Illinois furnished 5,973
men, and lost $50; while Tennessee
furnished only 5000, but lost not less
than |, 1876. Alabama lost 323 of a
force of BOIL; Arkansas 1856 of a
force of 1928 rather more than ten
per cent. in each Kentucky loss 7O9
out OF $500, but Ohio sending 5 $50,
lost bat GAL. The Texan troons
fighting in a country to whose circum-
stances and climate they were better
accustomed, lost yet more by disease
than the Missourians, who came there
from the cold North. OF 1913 men,
Texas lost $50 by disease. while of