Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-03-19
From tho SSth. Regiment
oUHP KELLEY, CITATION, Ya5 |
p March IA 1862. I

/ nAeAeA ~ @NN@s ,
EDs. LRADER;--I have not written to yoU
sinOs our return % eTaftOn from NswCreek
because our quiet life here has furnished M
items Of public interest. IaN rf
twill be grAtifyingto the many friends
Of the regiment to learn that our condition
in respect to health, which, since our re-
turn 70 this plaos, has not been such AZ
could Be desirsd, is decidedly and rapidly
improving. We're il not for the measles,
which made their appearance just before
We left New Greek, which have been quite
severe, there would have been less than the
usual amount Of sickness among US. The
fne weather Of the last week has done Won-
dera in reviving the spirits snd restoring
the health Of the men. The sky Is nov
clear, the sunshine bright and warm, the
ground dry, and the coming spring makes
every heart cheerful aud glad. For more
than two weeks after we returned here, the
almost fneessant FsiHs kept the men crowd.
ed in their close tents, and could not be
kept either clean or dry, BY reason Of the
with him, and q general gloom in keeping
wilh the darkness Of the sky, and the
heaviness OF the air, seemed to brood over
the camp. Out door exersise and sports
were unknown and we're indeed impraOti-
Gable. But now sll is changed. The men
spend Che most Of their time out Of
doors, engaged either in drill or in various
games and amusements, and il you were 70
look on our parade ground one of these
fne evenings, you might suppose thst half
a thousand Of school boys we're let loose
and we're having gala time.
Many Of the sick in the hospital alsp
are oonvaleseeni; and those who have been
lingering for some time, are rapidly recov-
Bring, under the influence Of warmer
sun, dryer atmosphere, and freer Venti-
lation Of hospital tents, the latter being
rendered possible by the two former. The
numberOf our sick is about one hundred,
Of whom none are considered Immediately
dangerous, and but few are seriously sick
Most, as already said, are in fair way 70
recover. The large number in hospital Is
due 70 the prevalence of measles, which
have gone through the regiment from ONE
end to the other. The fatality which has
attended them in some cases has been due
70 the exhausted condition Of the men CON
sequent upon the experiences and hard
work Of our Romney and Moose6eld Expe.
ditions, together with the extremely bad
weather and poor accommodations for fhe
sick which We have had here. The disease
has uniformly assumed typhoid form,
and any relapse from taking cold or other
causes has been extremely difficult to re
cover. sa
y Whils We have been having so unusual
IN amount Of sickness, the entire care Of
the sick, in the absence Of the SurgeoB, /
who has bsshst home on furlough in poor
health, has deVolved upon the Assistant
Sur recon, who has sustained the burden /
with remarkable energy and endurance,
doing the work of two men. Yesterday We
had the pleasure Of welcoming Sarklink,
who rstHrns % ps regret to say not in
fGlly restored Btrsngth.
This morning our camp looks like ruin,
but before night it will have the appasf-
Rnee Of 8 new and clean city Of tents. Tie
order has been given 10 take down and l
pack the old tents, ss new Sibley tents
have been procured for the entire regi-
ment. The ehange viii add much to the
oomfort and health,of the men, ss the Sib-
leg. is more roomy and better ventilated
than fRs old bell tent. Col Lee has been
absent for the last ten days, having been
Summoned to Charleston on the KsnaWha,
to sit on court martial. We expect him
back daily, meantime the command de-
wolves on Lieutenant Colonel Stafford
= FEo boxes Of hospital stores = shirle,
drawers, sheets pilloW-slips, bed. ticks, To-
gether with corned fruit and fowl, received
from the Ladies Aid Society Of NorWalk,
being supplies which We very much need,
and win add to the comfort Of many q poor
suffering soldier. The sick and wounded
soldier has at the very best hard lot;
blessings upon the good Smsritan who bring
to him the comforts and deliescies which
mother or sisters hand would prepare and
administer but connoti
It gives universal satisfaction among us
that the noble and brave Fremont is placed
IN command Of the division Of the army IN
which We-are included. We hope in due
time to be led BY him to battle and 70 vic
tory. We wish to bear our psrtin the field
doing sctigs service in tbs glorious work
Of crushing rebellion. The soldier shares
the hone Of the citizen, that the war will
be Of short durstion, and none will more
joyfully hail the return Of peace than the
brave volunteers who have fought our bat
ties, Ber are any more willing 10 make still
greater sacFihoes, il need be, IN Che cause
Of our country and Of her sweet liberty.
Yours, W.