The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-11-19
Report Of MRS. Wittenmycr, to the Sol
diers' Aid Societ ties Of Iowa Ladies.

~
West, for the purpose of asccrtaining
their arrangements, and the wants of the
sick and wounded among our volunteers
am instructed to lay before you briei
report Of their condition, and to furnish
You with list of articles needed to pro.
mote the comfort and secure the conva-
lesence Of the sick soldiers, from our State,
who are now in hospital.
That there has been great distress among
our troops on account of sickness, and
that lack Of hospital stores and comforts
has aggravated their sufferings, may not
conceal.
That there should be lack of such
hospital furniture and stores as the Gov
eminent proposes to supply, may be
matter of surprise to some, but when we
take into consideration that the Govern
ment, at the commencement Of this war,
was almost in state of DISCRIMINATION.
and that within the compass Of few
months, vast military campaign has been
set on foot, involving millions of dollars,
and the health and comfort of hundreds
of thousands of men, and that the Gov
eminent has had to contend with an in
jured credit and hordes of dishonest army
contractors, there is little cause to wonder
that her supplies are not more bountiful.
But some of our soldiers have still more
serious difficulties to contend with, their
surgeons have not made the necessary re-
QUESTIONS, are lacking in moral character,
addicted to Incorporate habits, or are over
bearing to their men and exhibit but lit
tie concern for their health, comfort, or
cleanliness
We may not be able to remedy all of
the evils connected with the hospital ar
ranrements of our brave Iowa volunteers:
but We have done. and are still doing
great deal to ameliorate their condition,
aud We hope .haf very soon. aided hy the
societies throughout the State who are co.
operating with Us, We will be able to rem
der Their condition very comfortable.
| am requested By our soldiers to ex-
press to you, ladies, their deep and heart.
felt gratitude for the substantial testimony
you have given them, in the way Of com
forts and delicacies. of your interest in
their welfare and your high appreciation
OF their services and have been assured
that the consciousness that hundreds of
ladies' In their own State were thinking Of
them, and laboring for their comfort, has
cheered many sick soldier, through dark
hours Of pain, suffering and neglect.
The ladies Of our State have done no.
blv---let us continue our efforts-much
still is to be done.
We hope to be able TO place in each
Regiment, at least two good and efficient
female nurses. who will labor for the COM
fort of our sick, and have charge and take
care OF our hospital stores. We are fully
convinced Of the Importance of this meas
IRE and have secured the services of some
Of our best ladies for this work. Som,
of them are already in the field, other,
will soon follow Most of the nurse,
heretofore have been taken from the rank,
and are distressingly awkward aud rough
In their approaches to the men, and know
little or nothing about taking care Of the
SICK. A woman of intelligence and char
acter could do more to inspire confidence
and render the sick comfortable than ,
half dozen such men, for women are ne
culiarly adapted to the kind and delicat,
Offices Of sick room
Women, weak and dependent as the,
are, are the most efficient agents for doin,
good, either as nurasNor fisitors anon,
our hospitals They are received with
degree OF confidence and cordality thu
no man. however great his military O
medical reputation, can command. an,
with womanly hearts and womanly tao,
they can'lay hold Of influences that me,
cannot reach.
Several instances OF this kind have re-
Gently transpircd under the supervision {
our society, demonstrating this fact b.
yond controversy. and proving to us th
Importance Of having female delegate
frequently in the field. And the import
anee OF such measure is still more sppa
rent when We reflect that, the medica
and nursing departments Of our army ar
franght with ten-told interest. as regard