Smyrna times., 1862-01-16
G9t Smprua Iimcs.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1862.
The Sanitary Condition of the Armv.

The Sanitary Commission, which has lust
Aads its report Of the condition in which j,
found the army, will be likely to effect
thorough reorganization of the mcdica depart
ment. Ii has visited every camp, from ST,
Louis to the Potomac, and inspected every re.
g'ment, aacertained the quantity of food and
water, cooking, ventilation, police regulations,
;ohlug and hospital aceommoda tions provided
or The nen. Two-Ihirds of the army of vol.
unte' RS, according TO this report, are composed
'f native Americans, and nine.tentbs citizens
educated under the laws OF the Union and in
the Engll'h tongue. In 761 per cent. of the
regiments The majority of the mea were found
10 be American born; in 81 the majority were
Germans; and 81 the majority were Irish and
"a 81 the number Of native aud foreign born
was found about equal. OF the camps ins pect.
I'd five per cent. were in admirable order, forty.
five per cent fairly clean and we'll poiced
'weR'y SIX per cent. negligent and slovenly,
and twen,y.four per cent. filthy and dangerous
The shirtd worn by the men were found 10 be
poor quality in twenty.six per cent. of the resi-
menls examined. In seventy -fonr they were
of the regulation quality. In ninety four the
men had Two shirts apiece, the rest had only
one. Eighty.two per cent. of the regiments
were well supplied with svercoats, and seven
per cent. partly so. In eleven per cent. there
were none at the time Of the inspection 10
| emily three per cent. of the regiments were the
| OvercOats of poor quality. Seventy-ive per
cent. Of the regiments were provided with good
cloth body coats; the remainder with flannel
sack coats or cloth jackets. OF the two hundred
regiments. all were provided with pantaloens-
one hundred and seventy FIVE Sufficiently, eigh,
indfferently, ,sevcn,eeu very pOorly. Ia seventy.
| five per cent. one good blanket had been issued
to each soldier. In twenty per cent, two had
been provided; these being. however. in most
cases, of inferior quality. In FIVE per ceRt. the
men had never all received each a blanket.
The fsol ia reported to be of good quality
and in abundance. The chief complaint i.
want of fresh vegetables. sad this 10 mainly
confined to regiments 10 which, through the
neglect ef the officers, company funds are
wanting. Dessicaled vegetables are used I,
some extent, but are not popular, because ths
men have not learned how to cook them. IL
thirIy-one regiments the ssilsr was allowed tC
sell liquor 10 enc hundred and sixty nine tht
officers reported that the sale was prohibited
10 one hundred and sevsnty-seven il appeared
tia, the men did. in fact. get liquor with NOR,
or less fresdem and facility from the sutler o.
Otherwise. In twsnty-three the Inspector
were satisfied that the men did .Hst often Of
readily oblain liqusr. IntOxication was common
in OHly sir regiments. IH thirty it occur
red only sssssiossily. and 10 one hnndTea ant
sixty shree Il vas very rare.
4, To fhy seven regiments the soldiers sen
homs,s considerable portion Of their pay, snl
the men generally ars disposed to do so. Abou
ns,6th iSf the regiments possess librsrie
generally Of religious books. There is an il
: iense demand for books and perisdicals, gene
ally Of the tighter clsss. and fer newspaper
Reading sastter of almost every class 10 graf
. fa Iy received. The average constant numb,
Of sick pet one thousand inca is sixty.ihres
~ the srsay i,f the Pstomsc. one hundred and ski
: Two 10 thn Westssn Virgins army, and in II
Z 4 army Of tss Valley Of ihs Mississippi one hu
( drsd aud sixteen. Considerable space in d
& report is deyo ed 10 ihs sabjsss sf hospil
tsisff Elk 9fra4 Is .sf =.