The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-01-20
N ShOrtusry Statistics of the First Indi-
ann Cavalry.
PILoT KNoB, No, Jan. ID, le

IILof hNoB, MOI 0dH III AoOz.
Eds Journal Herewith I send you an
article containing the mortuary statistics of
the lst Indiana cavalry. Col. Conrad Baker.
Thearticle was written in reply to COM
munication in the st. Louis Democrat in
answer to the enquiry "How many deaths
in the Regimental Hospitals, and in which
of them 2''
From the 18th of August to the middle
of October, our regimental hospitals were
the Mechanics Hall in the st. Louis Fair
Grounds, and a small house at Pilot Knob.
Since which time we have only had regi-
mental hospital kere.
There were treated in these hospitals
Intermittent and remittent fevers, l04; ty-
phoid fever, 80; diarrhoea, Ga measles,
SO. These were the prevalent forms of
disease.
The deaths were, of typhoid fever,
congestion of the brain, /; disease of the
heart (suddenly), l pneumonia, inflam-
nation Of the bowels, /.
The cavalry have been engaged in two or
three skirmishes and one battle-that of
Fredericktown. At this battle there were
four killed; four mortally wounded seven
severely wounded, and fifteen slightly
wounded. OF the slightly wounded all are
on duty, and of the severely all except one.
During the months of November and De-
cember we sent from the regimental to the
general hospital at Ironton, both being un-
der the care of the same surgeon, sixty-one
cases, which were chiefly of typhoid fever
and repelled measles. OF these, two died
one of typhoid fever, the other of pneu-
monia, consequent upon repelled measles.
Of those who went home on sick leave,
numbering about forty, two died, one of
pulmonary consumption, the other of ty-
phoid relapse, which would not have oc-
CURED had he remained here. The whole
number of deaths in the Indiana cavalry is
seventeen: Nine of diseases; eight in
battle; one by accident with mule team.
Ia may be p1VlSE ~ Hs1--ssEi sa---s sA-----5s-
ment was hurTiedLy mustered into service
,cithoat inspection, and consequently it is
reasonable to suppose that the men did not
enjoy the average degree of health. It is
composed of eight companies, of seventy
nine officers and privates each, with the
usual number of field and staff officers.
They were enlisted in Southern Indiana
chiefly during July, and have, therefore,
been in service nearly six months. Since
their arrival in Missouri, the regiment has
been actively and constantly on duty, en-
during incredible fatigue when scouting.
Medicus," is not inactivity and the i'm
pure air about large encampments, while
getting ready for /" the great forward move
ment," fertile source of mortality at st.
Louis2
Let the soldiers in and about st. Louis do
as active duty as the Hoosier Cavalry, and
would not their health be greatly improved
Let Western regiment remain in and
about one camp for two or three months, do
i0r h,,k Il Jr;I ND
der present sanitary regulations, and it will
be decimated for active duties. 1t will be
as unfortunate as the Twenty Fifth Indiana.
The First Cavalry have done more active
duty and more fighting, than any other regi-
ment from Indiana, and have suffered less
by disease. We have met the enemy four
times and chased them perhaps three times
as often. Sometimes the pursuit was close
and exciting. Whenever we approach jeff
| Davis men, we remember Beuna Vista and
dash boldly after them.
Although we have lost so few by disease
not one. fourth what many other Eegi-
| ments from our State have, we need twenty
| FIVE or thirty recruits because we have
discharged some on account of disability.
| Now that the First Cavalry have a well
| earned reputation, young men, who wish
| to be with brave and daring comrades,
should hasten to become one of the thirty
recruits.
The Cavalry are not kept in cities, or suf-
fered to SickeR and de in large encamp-
ments but they sA1at "a th1 NE
where they breathe pure air, receive SIM =
] fare. and enjoy active duty
the pirate Sumter was in the narCOr AZ -
Pierre Pie Martinique, on the 22nd Of Novem OVEN
her Tor December,l and the United otate
ate steamer me Iriquois, which had followed ne s
M, was one league off the harbor' "alun
! | for her to come out.