Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-11-16
dNOrtester Daily Spg,
CAMP SUPPLIES.
U. 5. SANITARY COMMISSION,
NJ. vi % 1oaf

an opportunity OF answering directly.
LIST. Does the sanitary commission at pre-
sent charge Itself with the distribution OF arii
Giles of clothing among the soldiers iHgeneral, or
with only the distribution of hospital supplies
for the sick ?
hnSWer The sanitary commission charges
itself only with the distribution of articles Of
clothing add other supplies among the sick and
rounded, in general and regimeual hospitals
The demand is so great in this quarter, thar
the commission sees no prospect OF being able
to spare much from lis store house tor any
other purpose, excepting always emergencies
atterward 10 be described We consider every
army hospital. general or regimeutal, as hay.
ing right TO call upon us for whatever the
government is unable or fails to supply And
to be prepared to meet this call, we must ac.
cumuate and bold in readiness a large am
cunt OF all kinds OF hospital clothing and stores
medicines ercepted, The women Of the country
need not fear the OVERRIDING Of this business
II three wagon loads of hospital supplies tone
four horse u. 5. army wagon) were requir-
ed from our store house to meet the deficiency
in the government supply, for the wounded
men in our late glorious bnt heart rending at
fair at Balls Bluff, what would be the drain
occasioued by general battle on the Potomac
in Missouri, in Western Virginia Nothing
i'll the way OF Blankets quilts, shirts and
drawers dressing gowns, stockings, slippers,
can come amiss, or TO be otherwise than a very
needed contribution to our ever lapsing sup.
plies.
II ii be asked why the government does not
meet the wants itses, the answer is, that with
the vast business on its hands, the government
has not time enough, force enough money
enough, wisdom enough, TO meet any of the
wants OF the country adequately, and that It's
inevitable Deficiencies toward the comfort of
the sick and wounded, ARE the very ones which
we cannot leave to the slow correction of the
authorities, but in the name of Mercy and
Charity must instantly provide Tor. There is
nothing peculiar, however, in our case. 1t has
been 50 in every great war. The women of
the country have in all modern struggles sup.
piled largely the wants OF the hospitals Doubt
less every mouth will reduce the inadeQuacy
OF the governmental system, and increase the
efficiency of the medical bureau but in a war
conducted chiefly by volunteer force, volun.
tcer supplies in the hospitals will be required
as long as the wa: lasts.
I'd How far is il desirable that private and
volunteer labor should take the direction of
providing extra supplies OF clothing for fight
ing men actually in the field and il this is in
any degree expedient, what tile best ray Of
reaching the wants of this class of soldiers, so
that both waste may be avoided aud every
real necessity met and will the sanitary com
mission MIXTURE undertake the equitable dis
tribuIion OF articles Of clothing which may be
furnished them for this purpose
AnSopr. Undoubtedly there is Il great
though a steadily diminishing destituiun of
warm clothing among the men in the field.
The government with its greatest exertions
has not been able to find in the country cloth
enough, nor blankets enough to cover the ar
my. II is importing cloth and blankets, and
buying up every decentiy suitable fabric al
home There will be work enough for all our
mills as long as The war lasts and the foreign
importations will not seriously affect their
business. This it is which has kept our men
in the field without Overcoats, or warm uni
forms, III some cases without blankets OF
course it was important before the soldiers re-
CeiVed their pay, where the actual deslituti0u
OF regiment was known, 10 supply il at once
by contributions OF clothing from the region
where il was recl uited.
But this necessity has chiefly passed away
with the appearance OF the paymaster Tie
soldier is not pauper, and should not be treated as
one lie makes as much by his new Trade an
by his old one, and should cothe himself out
OF his own wages, if he wants more than the
regulations supply. The same is true OF the
support of his family. A proper allotment
proportion of the soldiers wages to the use of
his family, is as important to the sell respect
OF the soldier himself, as to the maintenance of
independence in the feelings OF a class not ac.
custOmcd to charity and whom it would be a
permanent injustice to bring into the democrat.
lzng position OF receivers OF the public aims.
Those wh) are so generously interesting
themselves in the support of the families of
the volunteers, should turn their united atten-
ton to the best and speediest means of getting
the soldiers wages (spcnt too often in ways
that do him no good) into the hands Of lis
family.
But to return to the subject OF clothing for
the men in the field The evil is too great
for much alteration by private means; aud it
is rapidly disappearing under governmental
energy. Under the enlightened, con. Glen
tious and energetic chief OF the quarermas.
tprs bureau, Gen, Meies, there is probably TO
be, before the severity of the winter is upon
us, an adequate supply of warm clothing pro.
vided for all the regular wants of the army.
Meanwhile the sanitary commission is willing
to do its best as an agent of those who wish to
help particular regiments in the field to bear
the probable or possible exposure from Tie
want of warm clothing, for the negt sir ,ceehs
Any clothing sent to them for this purpose
will be safely and promptly forwarded to its
destination. We prefer, however, to have all
clothing and other supplies put at our discre-
ton, as we know better than those not on the
ground where the worst wants exist. 1t often
occurs, that weeks restitution in company
of stockings, overcoats, fresh bread or beef,
occasions fifty letters home with complaints,
which, long before they could be alleviated
by any action there, are relieved by the regu,
lar course OF government routine.
1t is TO meet the irregular wants of the army
that we need considerat lie quantities OF ordiGa,
Iy army clothing-wants occasioned not by
the negligence or penuriousness OF the govern
ment, but by the loss of baggage, the accidents
of war, unavoidable separation from their
supplies, the dropping Of knapsacls in pursuit
or in fght-wants which will always require
to be met by some extra official resources
and these the sanitary commission hope 10
accumulate, and will endeavor to serve out at
their best discretion. For instance, at Balls
Bluff, it was not only sick and wounded sol.
diers who required our ministry, but wet and
banketless soldiers, who had escaped barely
with their lives. Emergencies of this kind
land they will be frequent and serious we
hope always to be prompt in meeting 10 the
utmost extent OF our resources. And 10 meet
these cases, and not the ordinary wants of ILL.,
clothed regiments in the field-a business too
vast Tor private benevOlense-we ask the
women of The land, without diverting their
chief attention from hospital supplies, 10 fur
nish us, besides, with outside aud under gar
ments (of army pattern, although this is not
Indispensable for soldiers in the field under
the circumstances here given.
1t helps the soldiers in the field in a most
effectual manner to release blankets from hos
plal use and allow them to tie turned to ordi-
nary service. Increase hospital supplies in
any way, and it leave just so much more to go
to the soldier in the field Nor need there be