The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-10-03
Letter from a Hospital.
|. S. Gen. HOSPITAL,
Newark, y. j., Sept %.

a.. tG,toy Of the Caled0nian
i. your correspondent has been unable to
10 mach for the last three months, having
...r in hospital most of the time, he of
,.,yrs- has not kept you posted with the af
A;rs Of the Sd Vermont. Thinking perhaps,
"a, something about army hospitals might
b.. interesting to many, in the absence of an
.,my .et,er, will spend an hour in giving
c.ur readers some idea of how the sick are
'.-sl for in the army of the Potomac. !
,ia,. write now they are cared for in the Sd
Vermont, which will perhaps answer as well,
though under the excellent care of surgeons
lanes and Goodwin ! think the Sd receives
r.ch better attention than the majority Of
regiments As an example of their success
We have but to 60 back to Camp Griffin
F.on the organization Of the regiment up to
Nl.cl 10Th We did not lose as many by dis.
ease in the whole time as many others lost in
oae week.
A.. the time Of the arrival of the army at
EIlrison's Landing, thousands of men were
,.os.rated from exhaustion and exposure du-
.lg tie seven days fight. Many, alas con-
,.ac,el diseases in that retreat that never
have or will recover. Our own brigade mus.
tered only one thousand men fit for duty
MANY Of the sick were Immediately sent to
Northern hospitals, and still more were left
than could be accommodated in the regimen
,l hospitals. From time to time large num-
Der, were sent to the general hospitals. The
NOS. prevalent diseases are feyers and bowel
complaints, diseases which, contracted on the
peninsula, are hard to get rid of, and if at all,
only by weeks of suffering.
But to return to the hospital. During the
retreat from in front of Richmond many tents,
and among them the tents belonging to the
medical corps, were left behind and destroy
ed. This made them short, and it was only
after new supp y was received that they had
their complement. Until then and even after,
many sick sick soldier was compelled to lie
in his little tent with scorching sun pouring
down upon him, with no care except what his
comrades could do for him, when not on du.
y. The resimental hospital of the Sd would
accommodate IL patients this was kept full
constantly. 1t was only when man wa.
very sick that he could be taken in, and as
soon as he could move about he must 60 back
q his company to give place to some one
scAer than himself. This was the only Jus,
way that could be done. The surgeons did
a. they could, but without government fur
r.saed I.er men with tents, of course nothing
more could be done.
The ground was the floor of the hospital
oat was kept scrupulously clean. The beds
were straw ticks, filled with straw or hay, and
raised three feet from the ground by laying
poles on crotched stakes driven in the
ground, and then short boards nailed on tht
io!es. Each bed was separate, room being
.vtt between each. The tents were large E.
ao1gh for two rows, ard four in a row. Here
TIE SICK are as well cared for as can be done
.I4er the circumstances. One Of the nurses
AdOns,antly present and the other two neal
u hand in case of need.
The doctor visits his patients three times
lay and often as many times at night. The
.JsYtal !, often furnished with luxuries a.
Ma, as cIothug from the sanitary commits
'o. o; from friends in Vermont. | forgo
" mcnlon that the beds were furnished will
seets and plenty of blankets, which is lux
~ soldier that has not had his clothes
- since he enlisted except to change them
f'5'h bread is furnished from temporar!
Ven 6ullt for the purpose. Fresh beef il
.'eAiy, boiled, fried or roasted.
Inc greatest pest, not only to the sick bu
ne well, are common flies. They fill ever.
'e'.'' great or small, in swarms. Nermonter
slAGot conceive Of the multitudes. They ar
Il and about everything. What is wors
IMAM all. they bite ferociously, and it is onl
'y coverlns every exposed part, Or constan
Use OF the fan, of which by the way We hat
@5ood supply, that they could be kept away
Mosquitoes are not plenty, especially in opel
"e.ds. 1t is only about stagnant water or il
'ae woods that they are found to be trouble
.ome. G..