Litchfield enquirer., 1862-12-04
THE CONDITION OF TIE 1gru nEG,r

Of our Goyerninent have takentheir lives in their hands and gone to the field of strife for the pur pose Of Sustaining our nationality and the per peluation of our Republican institutions, have recently visited various Encnmpments of our State Notun eers in the course of my wanderlngs 1 have been into Military Camps representing eleven different States containing Tn the aggregate probably fifty thousand troops. The object oI thls visit being part to witness the paraphernaila of War, but principally to know personally as 10 the Sanitary aud uygle- nc condition ol those who have left our fire sides and our homes. 1 made the latter, es- peclal points of inquiry Litc!!ield County mas q peculiar interest Ill the lvth Regiment of Conn. Vol, 1 will conine myself to q state ment l found it Nov 10th.
 After obtaining a pass from Gen. NadsWorth passed over long bridge and put foot upon tie Sacred Soil of Poor Old Perfidious Virginia Here desolatiun reigns. 1 soon arrived at the Camp of the Conn. l9,n. Going to headq quarters of Col. w., 1 found to my sorrow that the Col. was in Alexandria, sick and confined to his room, and unuer the medical care of his son ln law Dr.. 1 was then introduced to the Lieut.. Col. Kellogg and upon the presentation of my letters from Gov. $. he received me cor dially and gave me the freedom of the camps. and with the characteristic candor and honesty of a true soldier. requeSte a close scrutiny to he made into ali the departments pertaining to the StlPs, anu lil d A-lahhSi ClafaCleflSttc the Col lie said pointing to his officer anl priyatss before him lie stood in the front of his tent, ' There our urors, Col ". and myself will abide theIr decision ; enter their teDts see for yourself, converse with the men, listen to their complainings, we will abide their decis Ions."
 All restrictions being removed and free ac cess given to all the departments of the Camp considered myself at liberty. I had the de 1 had iI,t I my inquiries in such manner as 10 bring out all of the essential facts ill relation to he Sani tary and Hyglenc condition of our 18th Ke~i- heHt.
 Upon my arrival in Camp and having the above int erview, opened my ,nd nlu,,e t Ui ,r button of sucl articles as were forward Il b. | me- from the Fathers, Mothers, i.roihers auI Sisters of those ill camp, and many were th,, soldiers ln that regiment Who had the as ;trance that they Were not forgotten or fotsakun at home. | if they were by the commanding Officers but | let me say to you Sir. Editor, and 10 you Fa}A- CTS, mothers, wives, brothers or sisters ol Litchiielu County, that your sons, your hus I bands and your brothers of the .ih itvgiinent, are not forgotten or ever neglected by lAel commanding officers.
 Tine situation of the Camp ground is goo,l having south easterly aspect, a beautiful and rapid stream of water passing ill front, distance about twenty r.d ds, here the men resort for the purpose of washing Ne. The streets are rcgu laTiy laid, and according 10 military Custom are | we'll drained, by surface draii1ge, ant present | perfect order and ntatness. At the head of lii , streets are bulletin oott,t5 for the pap SC O. giving know edge of what trtuspre5 in each Co under te eye oi tha proper officer, statiu= | the names of those men w!Io pass the hest ii sptction, as to their personal l.G.stuyss The con dsiion oftheii accoalremcnts t.t, al#othc r"uic. those Wlio Go not give satisfaction iu ts> above respects. and various other items relnt i ing to the condition of the respective Co.'S Tie streets are thoroughly noiicel every day, and the litter is carried distance from calnI and burned. l think you may visit any or al! of the yard; surrounding the villages in Iitcl!-
 eld Co., and yvu%:l no iini oiie Hat will st!! p;,. n order audeie&uliHeSS that of 'hr Gasp cTcult of the 18th kegimcut. IAe Regiment is pro vied with the large SibIey Tent, having floors raised about four inches from the ground alst with aperture for the accommodation of q sm Ii stove. Ihe tpnls arc SC constructed ill design and material to be almost impervious to rain and wind These tents were obtained f. on Headquarters by dint of perseverance, on lb. part of Col ". There were few tents which mad no floors, being the iauIt of the innates.- My object bein Jo draw cat their opinion as tc their condition. and Treatment, l entered the homes of the private5 and cOnyersed freely with hem in masses and iii private, aul not yne rorI of Inurmur!ug co.nI! !ain dIi kear Hurmurers undoubtedly there are, but uiti uOi near them. l2 !uen invariably spoke well o ther commanding office rs, and manifested srca regard for their reputation ,ud that oi tlto Reg iment generally. There WIS unlocked fol l neatne5S in their tent& and ia instances D de greU Of taste was manifested When not oE ,iut, the meD busy themselves i'll repairing their gar mens, polishing their rifles, the pride ofa tru, soldier, some reading, others writing &c j.c.- Upon making visit to the kitchens of the yari ous Co.'S there i:c same general order ant neancsa manifested which appertaincd to th, whole Regiment. i then visited the Commissar, Department under the superintrHjence of r iIandce Hero order and ne:tness reigna. examined as to the quality of articles furnish ed by Government tue pork, beet, sugar, coffee rice Sc were as good as you Mir. Editor, or my self have on our tables, the bread was goot enough for any one The amount of ration supplied is more than ample to the wants of the men, the great excess of supply is a damage; i bcgets d habit ofextravagence and waste es pecialy is this the case where each mess dC their own cooking. But as in this regiment each Company has a Company cook the waste tt great extent is obviated by not drawing ful rations, this being credited to them by tn Commissary. Still there is great waste q one see by inspecting the swill barrels 0 each Company which ought not 10 be, withstand
 
 month $l27 ,U9, in addition, to large amour. contributed to one of our State Regiments, ol their march to the front, consisting of thre hundred and seventy loaves of bread and largs amount of beef and pofk
 The medical department is under the care 0 pr. II. Plumb, in every respect competent fo his position, knd and atIablc in his manners attentive and untiring in the Lel formanca O his duties. Tine Hospital building consists 0 an old church cllce ample dimensions, autli ciently warmed, and has good ventilation. All Q the patients have hunks, with good straw mat rasses with an ample supply of blankets for he, covering. The principal nurse is Mr. Beacl from Plymouth, competent and faithful to hi charge. At this time there were fifteen patient sick in the hospital, majority with tyrhoi fever. There had been but five deaths sine the Regiment went into camp, The nurse assisted by detail made of individuals iron the respective Companies as is desirable. Th apothccary department is conducted by an ex perienced apothecary, has a olerabie supply 0 medicines but not adequate to all the wants 0 practitioner in civil life. The kitchen q tacle to the hospital is neat and is possession CT suci articles of diet for the sick as can be procnrc even at the expense of the Surgeon aided b. the liberalty and open heartedness of Col. W Lieut. Col Kellogg and Maj. smith. Ill addition to the above 1 would mention that the accom plished lady of Maj. Smith is unwearied in he efforts, attending to the numerous little want of the patients, assisted by tine excellent lad of Lieut. Col. kell egg Their united cxertion are like angels visits, inspiring emotions oi grat itude in the breast of the invalid that God ha created that sigular compound of humanity tha we call woman, God bless :hem