Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-08-23
THE HEALTH OF OUR ARMY.

'aIhe accounts from all quarters-the Rich
moRd papers, the correspondence Of our own
and private dispatches, all agree in bearing
testimony to The amount of sickness in SSr
army on the Potomac; and attribute it4in a
great measure to ineffective sanitary arrange
ments anda defective commissariat. Situa-
teo though they are in healthy and we'll wa
tered regions. our Regiments neverth eless fur
'n''h a sick list ranging from to 20 per cent.
whist in some companies scarcely one fourth of
Tile members can be relied ON for active duty.
ihe efficiency of the army Is thus very much
impaired, and disease is proving more disas-
trous than tho sword. Many of these are ca
ses OF measles but whether produced or not
they are aggravated by defective sanitary ar
rangenents. The tents are email, crowded
and Ill ventilated; the cleanliness of the camp
is neglected: and the want of proper pur,fica.
tion is fast producing disease. Besides. there
is want Of fresf and vegetable food in dbl
ton to salt and animal. which coupled with the
defective cooking arrange ments. restricts the
soldier to meagre and unsatisfactory bill OF
fare. An army TO be effective must be we'll fed
and we'll clad, aud patriotic artlor and discip.
lined valor must be sustained bya proper at
tention to food and clothing, and the general
laws of health.
The extent Of the evil which is thus impair
ing the army is sthoroughly set forth in the fol.
lowing paragraphs of the Richmond cores
poDdence of the Charleston Mercury:
There is universal complaint made of the
want Of efficiency in the Commissariat Depart.
ment. 1t was felt severely at and immediately
after the battle of Manassas. Our brave ,roops
particularly the sick wounded, suffered greatly.
Some of the troops were without provisions
from Sunday break fast until Tuesday after the
battle. Since then it has occurred more tl,un
once that many have been without food for
twenty four hours. Great indignation ia felt
throughout the army and in Richmond on ac-.
count of this outrageous and unendurabe in
efficiency. The efficiency of the army is i'm
paired, and even its movements retarded
through the want of supplies. learn it has
been. and, is. matter Of bitter complaint and
earnest remonstrance by the commanding
Generals. And not only is there q want of
sufficient quantity, but the provisions, are not
good are. in fact. positively unwholesome. 1t
ie not only 80 at the camps in Fairfax county,
where the army is large, but also IN other
camps. great deal Of: sickness is the natural
consequences. One regiment near Acquia Creek
has lost. sixty men, and smother over thirty.
The weather has been intensely hot, and the
great mortality ia attributed by the troops to ;
bad provisions. unsuitable at any time, e.
pecially during such season. The country
aabounds with produce of the best guilty, and
''ere is no necessity to give the rooms bad
'ood. The country people. camp traders, and
suffers. too, in the neighborhood of Frederick.
burg and Acquia Creek, charge the poor fel-
lows most extortionale prices for every thing
they buy. have heard it is the same in other
places but that it is SO there, ain assured BY
the best authority. All able governments and
great commanders pay special attention to tho
commissariat. Napoleon was particularly at
tentiye to it., No greater offence could be com.
mitted in his eyes. than neglect in this branch
of the service. He always kept q sharp eye
upon the cornmissariat officers and contractors.
He took care to have the most capable men for
this Sc ryice.a Our commanders have little con.
troll in theematter. - =
!, And not only is the department Of subsis.
tence ill:managed, but the equally indispensable
department. to the mobility and efficiency,
transportation, is also, ,lamentably behind. II
was the condition of these two branches of the
army which prevented Gen. .Beaur-gard from
advancing to meet Mcdowell as he had in.
tended. Itwas his unpreparedneas in these
which prevented him from following the de.
feated enemy from Manassas. 1t is these which
now .paralyze him. prevent a forward move
hent, aud ia daily losing the South the sub.
stantial fruits of the great victory. Beaure-
gard has used superhuman exertiops, aud strus
gled against terrible and urnppreciated tdifa
cuities. and discou,agements, His great deter
minatioe, 2 and the pluck of his troops. have
accomplished wonders. But the Executive si.1
inertia is huge obstacle to success, and the
public interests .peremptorlly require. .ba. no
man. or set OF men. should stand in the way.
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