New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-09

u Natigny In 7GI per cent OF the regiments In
spec,ed native Americans were found TO constitute
the majority.
In q per cent there was majority Of Germans,
10 5, OF Irish; aud in 5, the Dumber OF native borr
and foreign horn wis about equal. OF per cent
the returns give no information Oh this point.
Tie restive proportion or foreigners and native
born in the volunteer army cannot at present. be-
stated with accuracy II is certain, however, that
1t ID not tue, has been stated, that the majority
OF the army is Of foreign birth. II would probably
be near approx nation 10 the truth to state that
about twohrds Of our volunteer soldiers are Amer
lean born.
|. Age.-From incomplete returns, the average age
Of the volunteers Is judged to be little below 2S
years. Somewhat more than one half Of their num-
Der are under 49, The average age Of tie officers is
about 81.
Inspection Of Reerxits.-In SO per cent Of the
regiments there has been pretense Of = thorough.
inspection Of recruits On enlistment.
III only ger cent had there been thorough re-
inspection when or after they were mustered in.
The Commission took occasion soon after its organ
zaiOn to address the Governors OF all loyal Statec
on the need OF vigorous inspection Of recruits.
1t is unfortunately certain, however that this i'm
porant duty has continued 10 be generally neglected.
! or specifically performed.
A careful examination of the causes ofGciay as
sgned for the discharge of $50 men from the army
Of the Potomac, es unfit for service, during tue
month Of October, made by Committee OF the In
specors Of tie Commission, experienced in obserya-
clusion that fully So per cent Of the whole number
were thus dschary ed account Of disabilities that
existed ut and before their enlistment and which any
intelligent ought 70 have discovered on their
inspection ss recruits. This conclusion Ii sustained
| by information from other sources.
These men had each probably cost the Govern
ment ut least 500 for his pay, ratlons clothing,
transportation, medicines, &c, making an aggre"
gate of over 5000 absolutely wasted on men who
| ought never 10 have been enlisted. Extending the
I'll met I'D IN n
for the whole period snce the commencement Of the
campaign i. seems probable that million OF dollars
has Teen lost by mere oegect Of preliminary inspec'
ton. This pe,unary loss, however, 10 small, COM
pared with that cau,ed by the diminuton OF eil'
cheney which every corps suffers by the inroductIon
Of any considerable number Of men mint tor service,
constituting, they do, more than anything else,
the tmpedsmeata Of the army.
| Dra,noge A,tfci0L-UnIil recently, the ari'
fetal drainage OF campo, when first visited by tho
Inspectors las been found very imperfect--the men
of each eut eg left, In most cases, TO loIn arane
around il according to their own judgment. IN con
,equeuce OF their ignorance, nnskillfalDess, or moo
lence, the drains have often been useless, and nes
unfrequently have aggravated the evil they were
| designed 10 remedy. As soon, however, ~ goo"
ex smpes became frequent, the practice OF system
attic arrangement began to te genera ~ adopted.
TIE ma ony of volunteer camps are now At ieast ~
well drained AS those VI tho regulars. The sver'ge
demh Of the camp-draiDs il about zig inches In
about onc-half the camps the drains were iouho
more or lees logged owing to their crookedness and
imperfect construction, aud want Of proper attention
in keeping toem clean
ouently sppareut on yecrion Of the sick list and
more detailed regulations with regard 10 camp drsi-
aye are de,irsblc. At present, II seems " % no.
bJdys busine-s 10 lay out system OF drains. WIN
out u COM ete system, drainage can seldom pe ei'
fective. - -,
Tsnss-Fifty-eight per cent Of the regiments had
| been provided win the wedge tent, ten Win tDs
wall tent, seven with the bell tent. nineteen with
the Si,ley; others not stated. Ninety Per cent OF
these W, re made of 10 dcanvas; the remainder were
OF tw led drilling or 80 old IA TO be ieaky
| Teat accom- nodati0n.-Sx men are usually pro-
viGed with lodging In one OF the wedge tents; II
the Sbey tent, from twelve to sixteen; Oh LAG,
soue i e. twenty.
Bels-As adj been presumed by the Commission,
n bas been proved that the best bed Tor soldiers
camp can, with Q little skill, BE- formed from mr. o.
cedar spray, whenever 1t can be obtained IN SUI
auantiiy. The Inspectors have from the out
set been instructed to advise its use whenever prac
tiesble. II should be frequently removed sne
burned after thorough cleansing Of the tent noof'
tue tents being struck Tor the purpose. -,
A lini ed examination Of the diseases OF the Army
indicates that the argest proportion OF those OK
tyDhod tyte occur with regiments sleeping Oh rub"
Ter banke Il least with those on straw or oousnst
The lar, est proportion Of catarrhal, Win resneA,s
On wooden floors the least with tnose Oh the
the largest Vt rheumatsm. Win those on wova, W.
7
of maaral with .bose the ground, the least villa
those straw or boughs. 49,
| Prtries-prives had been established IN all tho
camps nsI eced, except those OF two or three reg'-
lnents recently mustered IN.
In 81 per ceut If the camps, they are reported 70
he properly arranged and kept III proper order, no
offensive odor drifting from them. In ~ per cent,
proper attention WAS not given TO them, and mo
health of the men was less seriously endan-
gered in consequence.
Iu is per cent OF the camps, the men seemed 70 %
efe, lively restri,ted to the use Of privies. In 81
per cent, the proper prohibition was found py ne
| Inspectors hot 10 be strictly enforced.
! In IS per cent, the were allowed, at least o.
pignt " urinate within the camp limits Ni9ht
buckets which arc regularly provided enc Tor esen'
tent, ia the British service, are nowhere IN use.
TIE Commission doee not think it desirable thaS
they should be added to the camp furniture, oehev-
ing that their cleaning would be too frequently
| neglected
| Disposition of Ofal-In seveuty-ssven az per
cent vi the volunteer camps, SLOPE, refuse and ofai
are systematically removed 10 q distance from camp
BY daily d0.ail Of men.
In twenty -ar.e t23) per cent, this duty was per"
formed irIeguasy, very imperfectly. In bmeteen
of tLese three camps, the inspectors found
doors u decay and putreiaction perceptibe In ans
| about the teIts aud streets.
Canp Police, IN geaerol.-0f the camps inspected,
S per cent were in admirable order, - per Gems
fairly clean and well policed. The condition Of 70
ner cent was negligent and sovenly, and that Of -
Der cent de,dedy bnd filthy, aud dangerous.
| Clothing.-rhe shirts used by the men were iouno
70 be of poor qusy 10 IS per cent Of the regiments
examined In "a Ier cent, they were OF the keguns-
lion quality. In ~ per cent the men had peen py
v;d,d with 40 shirts each. In per cent they nso
but one EACH aud in the remainder only part weNs
properly supplied. ,,.l
1 - M