New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-07-15

GEoRoE oPDYKE,
MORRIS KETCHCM
WILLIAM A B00ri.
J. r. GGRAUD FDSrER
CHARLES H. STRONG
Members Of Executive Conn of the Central Financial
Committee u. \. Sanitary Association
heH- York, July IL. 1861.
Contributions may be sent TO any member OF this
Committee at his place of business, 10 their Treas
nrer. George S. Coe, esq, Of the American Exchange
Bank, corner of Broadway and Cedar street.
Weekly reports are made 10 the Committee by
George H. Strong esq. member and the treasurer OF
the Sanitary CommissoD) of all it's engagements, ex-
pendi.ures and appointments.
LETTER or THE PRESIDENT TO The EXECUTIVE CON-
xTrgE or THE CENTRAL PIsAsciAL conaTrEL
NKw-YORK.
To Hon Samuel Rugge Christopher X. Robert Robert B.
Mntur, George Upd,ke. Jons.han Sturges Morri ketch
I'm, William A. Booth David Hoadey, j. p. Gacd Foster.
and Chn'l. Strong Members of the Executive Commit
tee Central Financial Committee Of the u y Sanitary
GEsTLEMRS--On returning from tonr of iDspec.
ton Of troops In the West, bear with the i've
Lest satisfaction that the thoughtful tusiless men OF
New-YOyk associated with other patriotic individuals
pecuniary interests of hThs Sanitary Commission"
and deyising ways and means of supplying It with
money-tbe true and only means Of strength and ell
cheney. Could transfer your hearts aud minds the
rich experience Of the last fortnight passed IN the
camps OF the West you would Iced nothing further TO
animate you TO tine most earnest Immediate, and I'M
weared efforts, to provide our Commission with
moneythe oDy thing it now lacks to give 1t benig-
pant power TO diminish and control the malignant in
huences that hang darkly round our troops, and
threaten TO make out Of the most precious portion Of
our whole population anO' her "noble Army Of Mar
tyn" Money money promptly and literally ex.
pended in supplying our officers and men with the
Instructions, the warnings, and the aids whf:h their
Inc xperebced and unfinished condition demands and
which only an association like our own-of an ex-
traordinary character, unhampered by routine, and
with special rights and privileges granted by the Gov
ernment with express reference to the eAiyences OF
promptness enough TO secure the end
Money ia the indisPensa lie condition Of success
and the only one now wanting.
Consider the prospects Of 2s0, 600 troops chiefly
volunteers, gathered not only from the outdoor but
sii more from the indoor occupations Of life farmers
clerks students, mechanics, lawyers, doctors,
toned for the most part to regularity of e and those
comforts of home which, above any recorded expert
ence bless prosperous land and benignant in
stutobs consider those men, uted 10 the tender pro-
violence of mothers wives, and sisters to varied and
well prepared food separate and c0mmodious homes,
moderate toll 10 careful medical supervision in ali
their aDcntsconsider these men, many them yet
hardened into the bone Of rugged manhood, suddenly
precipaied by unexpected events into the field of war,
at the very of the greatest heat transferred to
climates to which they unwonted driven to the
Of food and waerto which they are unaccustoned, iv
ing crowded barracks aud tents sleeping on the bare
earth broken called six and eight
hours day, to make rapid marches rough rpncs
in July ana August, wearing their thick unitorg.s and
carrying heavy knapsacks on their Lacks-and what
can be looked for, but men falling by the dozen In the
ranks from sheer exhaustion hundreds Frustrated with
relaxing disorders, and finally, thousands suddenly
swept of by camp diseases, the result of irregu-
lsity of life exposure filth, heat, and inability to take
ruro - themselves under such novel Conditions II
you add the reflection that the brave and worthy off,
who command thess are, from the very nature
of the case, wholly inexperienced in camp-lfe that
they usually than the social equals of those
they are set over, that the excellent and devoted
medical men selected TO watch volunteers are
equally unaccusoned TO the field and to the military
hospital that their Comuissares and Quartermasers
have been summoned from civil life, and that our
whole military array, with small an exception nc
not 10 he worth noting, is the product Of rare mecca
sty, extemPorzed almost miraculousy as the armed
men that spmng from the teeth that Cadmus sowed
yon will at feel bow inevitable must DO the de-
fects the friction, the mistakes the delays, the dread.
ful consequences to health and life attending the
very collection and existence of such body Of troops,
so Offered and 70 provided for.
Can anything but the energetic interpretation of a
body Of persons dev0ting themselves to the special
work of furnishing condemned experience to officers aud
men, diligently attending the camps, bringing instantly
to headquarters the warnings Of scientific and practical
instruction, relieving surgeons, commissaries and
quartermnsters Of their embarrassing want of kn0wl
edge how, Ia the shortest manner to relieve their
official necessities, establishing quick connection
and sadly tried to understand how their relations are
changed upon passing under United States CONTROL and
the General Government, who can alone relieve their
wants.
My recent experience in the West has confirmed all
my expectations Of the feasibleness of such service
and removed every doubt which others bad raised IN
regard to the cheerful acceptance the part OF ON
and surgeons Of this extraordinary Intervention
went in some little anxiety as to the welcome l
might receive as tile envoy Of that mixed body scien-
ti6c, medical military and civil the Sanitary Commits
sion But found my way prepared before me. nd |
ings Of the appointment Of the commission had already
spread far and wide Orders Tor our sordii reception
From the highest to the lowest officials the most gen.
erous courtesy, the most willing cooperation the |
most grateful sympathy, flowed without any Interrupt
ton from jealous etiquette or an imperiled dignity.
The officers Of the regular army were just US
kind andl cordial as those of the volunteers and
am now that none OF the difficulties anticipat
ed from conflict OF powers, are at all likely to arise
with reasonable discretion on our part Indeed, no
ayerted eve, cold shoulder either from medical or
military Official chilled my heart in visit extended
to ~ OOO trOope to twenty HOSPITALS to hundreds of
medical gentlemen, and yet, spared warning, no
remonstranee, no earnest words of eutreaty. made
necessary by what found defective In the Camp
officers. Plsin honest, earnest, direct words, kindly
and sympathizngly spoken, were the OF weapons
found necessary beside the Governmental authority
utter them. This was Indispensable, and it great
boon TO possess II.
cannot here spread out the ample details which
proceed to Washington this evening to lay before the
Sanitary Commission and tho Government, as mate
rails toward correct judgment and immediate action
The general IMPRESSION however, which my visit to
Camp Dennisou near Cincinnati Camp Mcclellan at
Cairo, Camp Pope, at Alton and other smaller coec
tions OF Western troops made upon me, do earnestly
desire mt once 60 communicate.
A nobler, manlier, more intelligent, earnest and
valuable body Of troops was never gathered on the
earths surface. than the 10000 mon saw ia these
camps They are fully equal to the best of our East