Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1862-12-31
Correspondence oftho Philadelphia Bulletin.
Horrors of the Convalescent Camp.

Conyalescent Camp at Alexandria, having
spent the day in search of sick Pennsyl-
yania soldiers. More than ever do re,
alize something of mans inhumanity to
man You may have heard good deal
about the abuses in that camp; but the
half has not been told you. The treat,
ment and condition of some of its inmates
some of its lictms-is positively shock
ing.
Going out from Alexandria, passed the
notrious slave pen Of Price Birch & Co.,
dealers in Slaves Icouiured up all sorts
Of horror, inside Of those high brick walls
in day, gone by imagined, or tried to,
something Of the crushed spirits and bleed.
ing hearts and the physical torture OF the
thousands ofhuman beings, oldand young,
knocked off to the highest bidder in the
souls and bodies Of men, women ana chilr
dren in that dark, dirty prison place, But
looming back by it after one days visit TO
that camp in the mud, after looking into
the wan, spiritless, pitiful faces of the
thousands there, who have hoped again
hope till all courage is lost and seeing
where they eat, and 81. ep, and live, or IA,
lher die by inches, in the filth, and yer,
min, and mire of that place provokingly
nicknamed 'Conga'sscent Camp con-
ciuded that the old slave pen Of 50 many
actual and imaginary horrors, would be q
coveted luxury to many of the brave,
good,uearted fellows on the hill, Ard 50
it would.
In the first place the whole bleak, bar
ren hill on which the camp is located is
this day covered in many places with
sticky mud, when we have had no rain
for week. In stormy times one can't
fail to 20 in ankle deep at every step
The Sibey tents are huddled together
without floors or straw. Ditch the soil as
you will and it is dampif not soaking wet.
This is the convalesceut's bed. II he has
a blanket, whioa isn't always the case,
that is his covering His fuel he brings on
his back two or three miles, having to
lalethe limbs cut last winter al that point.
saw at least a dozen carrying their bun
dies of sticks thus to-day, like tho old man
in the child story, who was met 10y death
on the way. And yet | saw at least twen-
ty cords of good dry wood piled up in
camp. asked one in charge why they
did this, and he thought they didn't
thought it wasn't necessary-yet | saw it,
and it is done every day. be papers
have said that several men fro1e to death
in one cold night while thus engaged
III said but he had died by his pile Of
sticks, and they thought he was murder
ed; one was found in the privy, but they
didn't think he iroze TO death! Heaven"
Ily consolation to his friends that will be,
won Tit? l asked the boys why they had
to back wood when there was wood in
camp? They said they got part of stick
from some under officer to- cook their food
sometimes, and sometimes they didn
never half enough for cold weather. |
asked why they didn't cut clump Of
timber standing half mile or more from
camp. They said that it was guarded, and
the guards had orders to fire on trespos.
ser-that a few of themgot some rails one
cod night and guard Of soldiers cooked
their guns and compelled us to abandon
them.
saw two mec washing their shirts in a
creek two miles away-the nearest good
washing place. asked them if they be-
longed to the convalescent camp. One
replied no; we belong ia. the Death camp
So and believe him! heard an assists
ant surgeon say that young soldier Of
his ward was then lying in his tent on the
ground, with a raging fever and had been
for twenty four hours, because he had no
vacant bed in the hospital. | remarked
that such q state of things ought to be exS
/ posed Ho replied, you can't say too
much against the abuses here. or make
them as bal as they are. But we the
Assistants} are not to blame we do all
we can we have no power | tried to
have passes issued tG fey friends who
have been there since july, to te eSamin'
ed, lie couldn't do it-said more passes
were out then than could be examined in
three days. lie and other Assistants had
been prohibited from examining and spe-
cial board Of three had beer appointed
On their door was written. NO business
done tosday nor till Monday by which
time a dozen cases or more will have pas
sed into the other world for examination
They were probably of to Washington
having good time they never work
but three or four hours day. l heard a
gentleman telling member Of Congress
from Ohio who was there, that he had
:,.t f.,,,l I,yo man from, that State a. ho