The national Republican., 1861-07-13
A LETTER
From Prof J. W Jackson, of Union College,
on the needs Of the Volunteers.

From Prof J. W. Jackson, of Union College,
on the needs Of the Volunteers.
- - WASHINGTON, D. c., July 9Th, 1861.
f. L. Oirnstead, Esq,
Rest Sec'y oChe Sanitary Commission.
DEAR Sra: In my interview with you this
morning, you requested me TO present state.
ment OF my views on the matter 10 question,
the subsistence, ETC., Of the American army, in
writing. am induced TO comply with your
request, 20 far as to give resume Of my obser.
vations and inquiries, BY the consideration that
/ find no one with whom converse 90 deeply
impressed as myself with the fact that some Of
the apprehended evils have already appeared,
and are doing their work. 'f.'F- "
During the past fortnight have been almost
exclusively engaged In ascertaining the effects
Of climate, food, and regimen generally, upon
the volunteer troops near Washington, and,
with no preconceived notions on the subject or
theory to sustain, have gradually been forced
to yield to the conviction that the men are suf.
fering q much greater deterioration in health
and spirit and consequently efficiency, than
ought legItimately to result from unavoidable
causes-a change Of climate, water, etc. .,.
In looking for the extraordinary causes
whose existence is thus indicated, they will be
found to consist, chiefly ,..n.. .a,a-4 ....
l. In the character Of the recruits themselves,
a very large majority Of whom come from Q class
who live comfortably at home, being in this re.
spect decidedly superior to ordinary army re.
cruits, who have enlisted from q sense Of duty,
but who, in general are strikingly deficient in
selves to new and untried circumstances, and
to derive comparative comfort from inadequate
means. ..r .r. oman. ..r-... rH. fJ
2. In the food furnished BY the Government,
the great excess Of salt meats, especially fat
pork and bacon, excellent indeed Of its kind,
and in profusion, but adapted only to the low
Temperatures Of cold climate, and not at all
to the conditions under which these men now
exist and are about to act. ..r... ..
Under this head, it is proper to remark that
the various regiments have not ell Jared
alike. But when the qusrtermaster is not .
man of far more than ordinary discrimination
one not to be cast down or put down-the ra-
tions have been nearly Is follows: In the srti.
,le Of meat-pork, bacon, ham, and cornsd
beef, with fresh beef occasionally or at
most three times week-bread or hard biscuit,
rice or beans, cofee and sugar, salt and vine.
gar. No butter, molasses, or black tea. No
fresh or even dessicsted vegetables to supply the
unmistakable cravings of nature in this climate
at this season. ..,.u.. ..r... =
3. In the ignorance of their duty, and con.
sequent neglect OF It, of the company officers,
majority OF whom appear to have very little re-
gard for the comfort and well.beiDg Of their
men. ..r.. ......I
4. In neglect Of personal cleanliness and of
neatness and ventilation in the tents. ...
8. In the radically bad manner in which the
food is cooked, converting the raw material,
however good Of its kind, into an unpalstable,
indigesiible mess. .....,
Ihsve witnessed all these causes in operation,
and have watched, with the deepest interest,
their effects; and as the result, am able to
say that know that this best Of all material
for an army that the world has ever seen, has
already begun to be subjected to the process
whose inevitable end 10 decentralization. ~
To verify the above statements, il isy only
necessary to send competent, unprejudiced men
to the various regiments on both sides Of the
river, silently, to Observe the routine Of camp
life for q single day to observe, not to ask
questions. For the officers generally are in.
auenced by an esprit da corps which almost
exclusively deters them from making statements
that may be supposed dishonorable to their
commands, and there are obvious objections to
seeking information directly from the privates.
To look upon the other side Of the picture, and
to see men probably in the best physical con.
dition of which their circumstances admit, it is
only necessary to visit the camp Of the Rhode
Island regiment, where, by the liberalty Of the
State, and especially Of its noble young gov.
ernor, the recruits, without being "pampered,"
possess all the comforts which citizen soldiers
have right to expect y... u
In concluding this brief summary, it may be
proper to say that came to Washington solely
for the purpose Of spending few weeks with
my son, Colonel W. A. Jackson, of the eish-
teenth regiment New York State volunteers,
aud not with the most remote intention of pros
ecuting any inquiry on any subject whstsve.
occupied my attention.
With great respect, yours truly,
J. W. JACKSON.