, 1861-12-09

-<oA~AAaf
Editors Of Chicago Tribune
Ny attention vas this day called to "a Con,mis
sio't7S statement,'' dated at Bslsiderc, Illinois
Christian Adyocafs Of Thursday, Nov. 21th, 186t;
and signed By D. Il. Whitney.
The object Of this communication Is to correct
the false statements made BY the writer. and iul-
pressions likely to be made upon the public mind
from the said Commissioner statements, LII this
article will ,! 1nly make mention o. tihlns tas
in, leaving the 18th and 18th regiments to answer
for Themselves. although know the writer has
as vii rs tie 1sth I T lie Eays be found tie resi
mentE :. fayorabIy located. with abundant sup
ply Of wafer Of excellent quality
The 18th regiment went into camp at Dixon, on
the 9th Of May. were sworn into the United Statcs
service the 9th of May, left Dixon on the 18th
Of june for Easeyville: opposite 81: Louis, lay c-
5ih uf July, when we broke up camp. aud arrived
at Rolla on the morning of the 9TH.
a large quantity Of arms, ammunition and sup
plies were stored in the depot warehouses, waiting
for transport wagons anu mules. to enable US to
forward them to General Lyons command then at
sprlnSisld, M Ms wsre sent tere t9 gna5d a; these
near the depot, Hherc there was no water but the
ecanty supply obtained from wells which were
drained day after day. The men would descend to
the bottoms of the wells, and with tin cups dip
/ up the last drop of mud and water in them to
obtain what was absolutely necessary for drinking,
short even 6f this bad quality. So much fof mis-
| statement number one.
lie says the supplies Of certain kinds t. Of medie
| disease prevailing among the soldiers, and mcn-
tions. opium. quInine and astringente: Iu reply
| to this statement wish to say: hare never
beon short Of these medicines. aud l,ave never
made requisi1ion on the Medical Puryeyor Of this
diyrion Of tl's army for these Or any othsr neS
| not get promptly and in the quantity asked for
He says soldiers put upon hulf rations On en-
soldiers on the sick List are allowed full rations,
| and what they do not consume goes to constitute
paEt Of the hospital fund; The quality, quantity,
troll ofthe Surgeons. With Us there has at no timc
been lack Of provisions. bat We have been lin:
isa in varisty from want Of the hospital fund to
As to clothing. allow me to cay, every private In
the 13thsregimen received 8 suit, consisting Of II
and caps, from the county ii which thc company
was enlisted. The State garc bounty OF six dol
lars Ito be invested in clothing} to every private
eost @ pan. ' ba =. two M a5is tSo par of drawer
10 the regiment SIX hundred oileloth blankets fo'
oFercoats foT the use Of the guards in wet wcathc
Within lie last few days our men have been new
uniformed again, with jackets. pants. drawers
shirts. socks. shoes oycrcoat.. and caps; tho Els
wcrc furnished BY the United States. Now, asl
an, sane person If this looks like clothing ou
On onr arrival 1t Rola On the 9Th Of July, Col
| WSnan was ordered to and took command of tht
|
he occupied as his headquarters; up to the retl,r
Of the soldiers after the battle at Wilson'S Greek
hiS office was On the Lover floor Wien the arm:
Of the arms they brought back were stored in thi
: | lower room, and his Office moved up stair
aSSne It
: | ness was to guard the ammunition and arms, an
+ | not the entrance TO Gen. Wyman's office.
and otheF ~ we're r. sto1ed in aaa1 anus
/ room on the ground floor. There was windO'
!. tbe sash and glass OF which were es0 in til
. Therefore second guard was posted at the vii
duw 10 prevent the things from being stolen. Th
: third guard he mentions is = myth@a thing tha
D. Il. Whitney was hunting for ''red tape an
thought he found i in these guards. when IL
c truth il. this D, 4 Whitney was novice. and la
;. or encampnent- and from what can learn ney,
+ did pass The guards Of the 18th regiment. IneTs
saw him that know OF. nor did my assistant ar
nj no time hive we both been absent from The re-
l. imcnt. cannot ind private or officer IN 7
q | regiment who was aware Of his presence at Roll
except the Chaplain, and be offered to accompa1
t. and Introduce him to GEN. Wyman. but as th
z would spoil the s:red tape" yarn, he declined.
tak of ponpSEiy and red s9nnsctit
= there is no one acquainted viii lin but Eno.
how absurd such charges arc. He is Ill social
and nfab3lit and With these aaa1ites has
~ Of the men under him. as any one.will perceive
passing through the camp. where such signs q
an Se Re 4ee5e
t, Ny opinion Is that b. q. Whitney vi5ited lii 5
fhs 15h ts1 at the Of hs sta
.ir not obtained IRON authentic SOURCES, or oven
,r result of bis own observations
!! As an lliHoietan- am proud OF my State $
d. has done nobly: not onlyin furnishing volnntee
ct but in eeuipping them aad keeping watch !an Q,
i ao o al to Ieoulc 9l
IL from nc. and We know that in constituting Il
- "CommieaioneE:" bis object Eas the welfare
the soldiers: but our soldiers who are inte1lige
n reading men; agree with me that the money
- pended on the mission of D. II. Whitney Wo1
Il have been better invested had it been put into
he hospital frnd-
~ With regard to the hospital arrangements Of
lu7 18th "a matter in which am directly interese
nj it is due to those having the control Of affairs
to "a aaps 5 s8s S Ss aez M e9 hos
IN bed saeks, pilow tisks, 61snkets. sheets. pill
ng and everything else IN The way Of hospital suppl
Of necessary for the comfort Of the sick. The l
regiment, when fullest, numbered one thouss
of Instantly killed By accidental discharge Of g
49, and twenty four have been discharged from Eers
ne On asenunt of chronic diseases and troubles e3
ho Ing before they were mustered H. To-Day
number nine hundred and sixty-seTen men an
an fully satisfied that no otbeT regiment, hay
50 s e nnscr Of eeen To-
1oE And IN the face OF all this D. H. whitney SAYS
led hats lesS On the ses 1T Rnt more 9 dsataF 1ftb
~
tAc latter clause Of which sentence take the resp
Ind aihllity Of pTono1nc1ng slanderous and untrue
her Ae has great deal to SAY about the Brigsde
49, p1ta! and the condition Of The sick left there r.
md | our forces were ordered to march. Doctor Del
Brigade Surgeon. had only arrived at the post,
c1ade TO preparation. for he had not had tinas
OFT make any. and had not yet received biz suppl
nal when we were compelled to turn our sick oye'
him. left eleven men under his charge. and v
ler- the eleven left twenty-five cot bed eteads. Gle
nor Fair Of splendid wooden blankets. eleven she
e!ercn bed ticks, {one freshly fl1cd3 c1even pll
I'LL. t1cka freshly filed and eleven linen pillow ca
the Making comfortable and good bedding for e.
~ man left, and fourteen cots for the sick OF ot
w regiments; and Notwithstanding all this an
lii resented as having sent my sick to the hospita
7ra pc Laid On the floor With nothing but half
ket, folded 50 that one half WAS under them
ON ne Other half over them. On our return TO ~
,-ra after an abseace Of three days, at once pitt
ugh a! NY SICK men from the Brigade Hospital t.
leaving all the bedding had taken to the Hris
Hospital for the use Of the sick there, and put
,hnr | my sick into other and fresh beda,
scn The men Of the 18th regiment are ~ htPh
.nds dence of every one Of thssn, and tt D. r Wh1
;eo was to utter such remarks within their hesrtn
49, those pubHebed In his ssConmissioneTs >
eng ment,H he would have an opportunity OF anos
ding bis fighting or retteating qualities IN do
ise~" quick: even II the .t1ad Y who ofrante9 ~
have A1jutant 'could attend" to that bu7iness.
1ed1- have never seen srth batch Of ulstepteti
owl ttons and 10 little trptA pat Into the ssme NJ,
and Surgeon 1Nh Rsgfn6sk M: :F<
Epoa We, the underalEned officers OF the 18tA