The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-01-15

that time with measles. A few days at
terwards, being ordered to Boonville, 140
Of their sick were left behind, in hospital
at Jefferson City. The regiment was lib.
orally supplied from the stores sent out by
the ladies of the State, while they were at
Benton Barracks, and since then supplies
have been sent to their sick at Jefferson
City.
The 18th, 18th and 14th regiments
have but recently established hospitals
We supplied them, when iu Benton Bar
racks. with share of the stores sent out
from the State, but of the present condi
ton Of their hospitals we are not prepared
to speak definitely.
The 10Th regiment, now quartered in
Keokuk, is suffering severely from measles.
The Medical College has been fitted up
for hospital purposes, and is pretty well
arranged for the accommodation of the
sick. There are now 73 in hospital, but
most of them are conualescent. The sup
plies provided by Government being alto>
gether too limited to meet the demands of
the sick, the citizens and the Aid Society
Of this place have generously made up
the deficiency. The hospital is visited
daily by the ladies', with food and delica>
cies for the sick.
These regiments constitute our infantry
forces now in the field. Besides these we
have the lst, I'd, Sd and 4th Cavalry reg
iments. Part of the 1st Cavalry regiment
is encamped on the Fair Grounds, near
Benton Barracks. A building near by
has been fitted up for hospital use, and
was we'll provided with bed cots, bedding,
pillows, blankets, &c. Every part of the
establishment was clean and well kept,
and an air Of comfort and contentment
seemed to pervade the entire establish>
ment The remainder Of the regiment
has been constantly on the move since en-
tering the service. They have made their
headquarters at Syracuse for some time
past, but at preseut are stationed at OF
terville, SIX miles above Their hospital
is still at Syracuse. The building is small,
but it is neatly and comfortably fitted up.
The men are provided with bed-cots, bed
ding, pillows, &c. They are at present
suffering with measles. 1t was this digisp
ion that led the van, and was principally
instrumental in capturing the 1900 priss
oners now incarcerated in St. Louis.
The I'd Cavalry Regiment has but re-
Gently been called into the field. They
are quastsred in Benton Barracks. Their
hospital has been organized so recently,
that we are not able to give any details
connected with it.
The Sd Cavalry regiment is still quar-
tered in Benton Barracks, although strong
detachments have several times been or
dered out on important expeditions 1t
was squadron of this Cavalry Regiment
that discovered and brought into camp the
vast amount of gunpowder secreted by
Gov jackson near Bonneville. Their
hospital is very well arranged building
on the Fair Grounds, and the sick are well
provided with beds, pillows and other ap.
pliances necessary for hospital use. There
are great many sick in the Regiment at
present, owing to the spread Of measles,
which prevails in every Regiment in the
service.
The 4th Cavalry Regiment has not yet
left the State, They are comfortably
quartered in wooden barracks near Mt.
Pleasant. Their hospital is in the town,
and is comfortably provided for The
measles are prevailing to some extent in
this Regiment also.
Wedo but simple justice to our Chap
lains when we say that most Of them visit
their hospitals daily, and are untiring in
their attentions to the sick.
We have thus briefly presented to you,
as far as we are able, a true exhibit of the
condition of our Iowa hospitals, conining
ourselves to a plain statement of facts,
without giving them undue prominence
or coloring. As unfavorable as this re-
por. may appear, We have to say THAT our
Iowa hospitals are in better condition
than those of the troops from other States
now in the Western service. We have
visited post apd other hospitals where the
inmates were crowded together in filthy
and lily ventilated rooms like pigs in a
sty The most loathsome and disgusting
scenes Of misery and flthiness We hssc
ever witnessed bear no comparison to sonae
of the hospitals on the Pacific Railroad
between St. LOUIS and St. Joseph.
The limits Of this paper viii not allow
us to enter into details, but we are pre-.
pared to say that great neglect is manifest
on the part of the officers and surgeons
having charge Of these men, and that il
less time were spent in arranging shoulder
straps and more attention paid to the sani
| tarv arrapomenfs Of the army. there wOuld