New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-11-26

lowing letter from Mr.. Olmstc,d, Secretary of the
United States Sanitary Cc..nniission in answer to
various questions and objections, which their cor.
respondents meet With when asking for hospital sup
plies, viz:
" Is there no igait to your demands Z"
"Wny, with so few wounded, do you need 30
.auch 2"
What will you do with The accumulation
"Is it true that goods are wasted by the soldiers
and are they sold by them /"
Mr.. Olms.ed's letter contains so much information
interesting to the public, as well most instructive
that the Committee hope that the press throughout
the loyal States will give prominent place In their
Rv order. GEORGE F. ALLEN, Secretary.
UNITED STATES SANITARY CoNsIssosi
WARRINGTON, ID. G, Nov. 10 1901.
Mrs GEoRsE f. Standardization: Your favor
of the 9Th Det. demands specific reply 10 inquiries
which you receive, in common with us, from parties
not coguizant of the extent Of want in our Military
Hospitals, regimental and general
REGARDING the inquiry, If our demands are to
continued" quote, rs my own deliberate judgment,
the words of the Rev. Dr. Bellows, in letter TO his
Excellency, Gov. Morgan:
and whatever activity the Medical Department may put forth
tie existence 900 soldiers In camp ard Held In country
and under Government utterly unused @ the care OF such
will create which all the spontaneous lib
eraty of oil the in the county, seaed 20 AZ ta ne
hecomng cruel In their pressure the solder lie VIII De
onmes cold wet and suffering do the umos we can pa n
Government and out Of the Government Al large Mne'
have been so and must continue TO be So The umost De
ny the most systematic exer'ions car ohy seSi =
curs the horrors of war aud the surenng OF ne hVoe III
d. fcd IN Wnte,apd the heat Of Summer as ert thee'
fore fearless Of contradiction from any competent
that the utmost that the industry OF our women can 90 VIII
Of the Government snd believe that th hsea WIZ eAi'
juIt as lsng as the war exists"
What can occasion 80 great demand The aver
noe number of sick 20 each regiment Of ,OOO men Is
moi far from 80 Ii one-fourth OF these are provided
with hospital clothing, there would be al least GU
sheets and 10 shirts wanted Tor each regImcnt we
have received from The Nomans Central hehei as
socistion Of NcwYork, our CHIEF channel OF supply,
altogether during the year, up 10 Now i, less tnan
5000 shirts OF all kinds-eotton, linen and nanhei
and about eco shests, and from all otner sources,
Z ZOO sbirts and 1000 shee,s. You viii readily see
that we have not yet received nearly enough for one
moderate supply VI these articles to The reginenial
hospitals now existing.
But besi1e the sick In the regiments, there are the
general hospitals to DO supplied. 1hese now east OF
tie mountsins contain about :, 600 beds We under
take 10 supply their wants CONF letely IN All cases
The quantity which we actually have supplied 10
this tine is much less than lo1r sheets, TWO shirts
two towels. two handkeschieis and two pairs OF
locks 10 each patient anu these, you must remern-
ber are mostly very sick or wounded ana bleeding
men, demanding frequent charges.
There Is no need therefore, TO suppose that goods
are wasted or given away TO patients leaving hospi-
tai to an improper extent In iaei, NOT one-quar'er
are thus supplied whom it would be desirable to
supply. T.,
far as knowu) supplied goods second time, except
increased sickness or Loses Al battle accounted ioe
the demand. We have 10 knowledge Una. goocs
| l.,-. hoe, os :
rorted. in any siugle case. We usually impress on
Inc surgeons The necessity Of economy IN their use,
and our Inspectors could hardly iall 20 detect any
gross waste fraud, or reckieesness. We shoulc no
Tesupply regiment without investigation, aud I
there had been wrong should complain 70 headquar-
tiers against the Surgeon.
Taere has been, you will see, 90 10 this time No
room for accumulation yet accumulation II Is very
desirable to secure. For example, demand lsl
week for the fitting up Of new hospitals 600 beds ~
The aggregated, entirely exhausted our supply OF
drawers. Naval Expect i0ns, Of which We may e&'
uect more than one 10 be coon fitted out, RAY require
10 be suddenly provided with large supplies, and
/ tlus any day completely exhaust orr stock.
! There are at least jOJ,OUO and perhaps bJ0, OO.
men now standing in hostile array in Virginia ana
MARYLAND II is confidently expected that decisive
battle will be fongh in this velocity. If il Is 50, it
is not TO be supposed that either side Will yield with
ont putting forth It's whole available strength. Should
ne battle be contested With anything Ike the brave
experience will not allow III to reckon upon less
nuinber of wounded 20 be provided for than one
tenth Of the whole number engaged. In some
modern battles one-tLird the whole punber have
been wounded III We should undertake. to provide
hospital clothing for only i00oo it would take more
than two years accumulate, at The rate OF supply
of the last fortnight, vhich Is better tan ever be-
fore, sufficient provision Of H. even il during that
time we gayc out none al III. ibeed not say hen,
that our accumulation Il really very slow, sadly
,low-even If YOU reduce these estimates one half.
or three .fourths. still sadly slow.
[ should add, in explanation Of The reports TO
which YOU alude, that Sods aye sometimes cent,
no. 10 the Sanitary Commission, bat directly 20
regiments o r companies in the field. Not unlre-
quently the regiment will receive goods within
a abort time from several sources, ana thus have
much more than they want; the men sometimes, ia
this case, may sell tie surplus or barter Il ior
whisky, or, il they ordered 70 march, as they
cannot carry t with them, give it away, or throw 1t
away. The Commission is undoubtedly liable to be
imposed upon by calls from those who have already
been supplied through other channels but when
supplies pass only through their hands, such mp0-
siiion, waste or extravagance, you speak of, Is
hardly possible.
Your friend and sorvsni,
Secretary U. D. Sanitary Con mission.