The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-31

officers, rode TO the beach yesterday opposite where
are lying boat sent from the Harriet Lane and
took them board, where they had interview with
Commodore Craven. The officers left on horseback but
Dir. Fox went up to Washington on the Reliance.
This morning Commodore Craven came on board the
Yankee, when she proceeded 10 Matawoman creek,
where the Commodore went shore, accompanied by
Captain Eastman and visited the encampment OF the
Sickles brigade
IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR ARMY HOSPITALS
OUR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENTS.
WASHINGTON Oct. %, 1861
Tie Army Hospitals in and around Wa hingOn-Condi
ton Of Regimental Hospitals in the Enoamrm n-Lack
Of Male Aaendants-Splsndid New Hospital Buildings
to e Immediately Erected-Forms Of BG in Case Of De-
ceased SoLersEdch Fallen Soldiers Grave to be Marked
Nth Headstone and Suitable Inscription, dc.
Among the commendable movements connected with
this which deserve especial mention the arrange
ments contemplated, and indeed, already being actively
carried out by to enderly the
sick and wounded soldiers Of our army, and to suitably
the last resting place of those noble volunteers who
die by disease who, whilo engaged in suppessng the
rebellion, shall hereafter fall the field of honor
In and around Washington there eight general hos
pitfalls for sick and wounded soldiers besides the hos
pta In tho Patent Office building, used by the Nineteenth
Indiana regiment and the general at Annapolis. In
tho nine there about thousand patients That
at Annapolis constitutes sort Of safety valve for the
Others and contains about five hundred more. It's salu
brous situation renders It desirable place, parcu
ary for convalescents Hence patients there
their condition will safely permit their removal
Besides those which have mentioned, there some
cases in each Of the regimental or tent hospitals
in the various encampments The number Of beds pre-
pared for patients in tho hospitals In Washington and
vicinity less than two thousand but
% fully awakened TO the importance Of providing SUM-
cent number to accommodate all the sick soldiers the
regmental hospitals, as soon as the ncemency Of the
approaching renders expedient remove
them. The number OF sick in all the regmenta hospitals
considerably exceeds that in the general Washing
ton Though Of the regiments are remarkably FREQ
from disease yet there fewke the Indiana Nine
teenth, for instance which has about hundred and
fifty the sick lstthat suffering somewhat severely
from maarious fevers Typhoid foyer ia the fatal
disease in army hospitals. The various forms Of mala-
fevers may DO SAID 10 be indigenous to them The
locations Of some of our encampments found TO be
salubrious and IT. as is the case In few isolated in
stances careless comandors and negligent soldiers allow
uncleanness TO augment tho evil the result you will
perceive, must prove decidedly disastrous.
But cause for complaint is tho exception, not the
rule. ! have seen more reason to commend than to
condemn Gen Buttcrfelds brigade is pleasantly located
his camps are well arr anged and Superintendent. Tho
same be said q othor brigade commanders. Camps
situated like that of Colonel Wilson's Massachusetts,
Twenty second regiment, which out week ago yes
terday to its encampment, almost entirely safe from
the visits OF malaria Large ventiators with sliding
shutters afford free circulation Of fresh air. while the
tents themselves occupy much more space than no.
quired by the army regulations
II is pleasing fact that for time past the condi.
tion OF the hospitals has been constantly improving More
blankets however are required In the regmenta hosp
tastheir exposed position, located in encampments,
In this connection might remark that II stated by old
residents hero that maarous fcvers have been far less
prevalent in Washington and vicinity this year than
former Tho nursing In all the hospitals, far
the arduous disinteresed abors Of the women are
concerned excellent need pause praise them
hnpv Wi
ate their services. But there Is deficiency in the num-
ber OF male Some Of these II is necessary have
in the general hospitals The deficiency from the
fact that soldiers who enlist in the army to fight
uctant to act and tho army regulations provide
for other mac nurses than soldiers detailed for such
services.
It should DO observed that with tho exception Of the
Washington nfrmary in street our army hospitals have
thus far been located in old hotels school buildings
The largest Of these is the Columbia College Hospital on
Meridian Hill in which thorc al present between
three and four hundred patients.
Now I come TO the active operations q the govern
ment Orders have Just been given for the erection of
hospitals, on the most approved models for the
plans carefully matured by the members Of tho SAM
tary Commission, provide thai each patient shall have
So cubic feet 81 ar space ana every % for
devise. There will be several separate groups OF build
ngs. Each group win accommodate 200 patients, and
each ward will be in separate building connected BY
corridor with the others Of the group Sites being
selected for them the vicinity Of Washington special
reference being had 70 the natural saubrty Of their stua
ton The buildings will be " wood, story high.
They will be known the pavilion style OF hospital build
ings and must provo q great blessing to the sick and
few words concerning kindred subject, and will
close. said in the commencement that tho government
was also making % ne e.
ease or fall upon the field Of honor The plan thisThe
Quartcrmaster General Ia accordance with questions Of
the Sanitary Commission has had prepared forms OF
cord Of death and inerment These are bound In books
in order that the friends Of the deceased soldiers shall BIO
enabled to find their graves These important
r,rr If tha