The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-01-15
From the Daily Gate City.
HOSPITAL REPORT.

statement Of the condition Of the hospitals o
the Iowa troops, we are aware that we have
most delicate and responsible office to per.
form, but it is duty from which we may
not shrink, as we are bound nv the most sa
cred obligations to you, and to our soldie,
friends who are sacrificing their all in the
defence Of our country, to make a true cx
hibit oftheir condition. We may not, there.
fore, conceal from you the painful fact that
sickness is fearfully on the increase in oYr
army; that hundreds Of our Iowa troops arc
prostrated by disease, and that the arrange
rncnts made for their accommodation are
altogether inadequate to secure their com.
| fort
As false impressions have obtained in
some sections with regard to the amount Of
supplies furnished by Government, we
would just say that tiey arc by far too lin
tied to meet the demands OF the sick at the
present time, and are not unfrcquently doled
out with sparring hani grudging1y Med
ical Purveyors, if we may credit the united
testimony Of Che Medical Staff, reserve to
THEMSELVES the right not only to restrict but
to dictate with regard to acquisitions, SO that
in many case the supplies allowed By the
Government are not receiped
The Government seems to have lost sight
in great measure. of the Medical Depart
ment of the army. In proof of this, we have
only to state that when Gen. Fremont's ar
my ma'clied to Springfield so little attention
was paid to the demands Of the Medical Staff
that the necessary supplies of medicines,
ambulances, &C., were not obtained, and
those falling SICK on the vav were without
the means of transportation.
During the march, whenever an empty
wagon could be secured, as many sick as
coull possibly be crowded into it were thrust
in, and thus they were forced to travel on
the rocky and PERCEPTIONS roads over the
Ozark hills, sA, in mary instances, life was
jolted from their bodies, and TINS the dead.
side by side with the Ii ing sick, were carried
on till generous night put stop to the dead
march. And even now, at Birds Point,
Cairo and the camps on the Pacific road, the
sick are hauled about in army wagons and
thrust, unprovided for, into post and other
hospitals. while hundreds Of ambulances and
vast accumulation Of hospital stores are lying
unused in the city Of St. Louis from whence
these supplies should come.
In the event ofan onward movement Of
our army we can scarcely hope for a favor
able change in the policy Of Government off,
cials, unless committee Of Investigation be
appointed, annd special order be issued
from the head of the Department bearing
directly on the subject.
The limits of this paper will not allow us
to dwell to any great length on the sickening
details connected with the hospitals of the
Western Department We therefore pass
on to notice briefly the condition of the hos
pitals Of our oyp troops. 81
The Cd Iowa regiment (now the first in
the seryice) IS quartered in the city of st
Louis, and is now detailed to guard the re!,-
el prisoners incarcerated in Mcdowell Col
lege- The troops qaartered in ane around
st. Louis have not had privilege Of main
tanning regimental hospitals until very re-
Gently, their sick being sent to post hospitals
in the city. The buildings opened in st.
Louis for the accommodation Of the sick be-
coming crowded, and many regimental sur
gems expressing a strong determination to
maintain control over their. own sick the es-
tablishment of regimental hospitals has been
deemed advisable The Iowa I'd have there
fore but recently established hospital.
The Sd regiment ,quartered in Benton Bar
racks for some months past, have been or
dered up the NORTH Mo. r. R., to rebuild and
guard the bridges lately destroyed by the
rebels. They have bSt recently organized a
hospital, and we are not prepared to speak
in detail of the hospital arrangements Of Ell
ther of these regiments. sufficient time not
having elasped to exhibit the efficacy Of their
plans. Each Of these regiments has received
saarc Of the supplies sent out from. our
State.
The 4th regiment is at Rolla. They are
comtortab! y housed in spacious and substan.
tial winter quarters, Of their own building.
The men are clean-looking and very well
clothed Their hospitns is an immense log
building, erected by their own hands, and
look very much like a fort, but it is parti-
toned of with plank, well ventilated, and
comfortably fitted up for thc accommoda-
ton Of nearly two hundred patients. Their
sick were all supplied with bedsteads Of
their own manufacture, except the limited
supply Of cots furnished hy Governments
The regiment were suffering very severely
from measles, but their hospital was 30 well
arranged, and kept with so much regard to
to the cleanliness and comfort Of the sick,
that we can but commend them to favorable
attention.
The example Of Col. Dodge is worthy OF
all commentator, as he. Notwithstanding
the pressure of official business, pisits his
hospital daily, and has the entire regiment
comfortably quartered for the winter at q
cost to the Government of less than two dol
lars per man. We are aware that no has
had many advantages over some other Col
onels, but it is praiseworthy that he has
turned them to so good an account.
IL l.