The national Republican., 1862-06-19

VI OutsSu otoeSs a''r
- The subjoined communication, We take
the liberty Of saying, Is from lady, the wife
Of Senator Harlan, who left here Immediately
after the battle Of Pithburg Landing and re
NAMED two months 10 personal attendance
upon the sick and wounded soldiers Of the
army engaged 10 that tsrribls struggle. The
same active benevolence which crrried her TO
that distant field Of painful duty, is manifested
In this exposure Of sbuses, with u visw TO their
correction. .'n,
THE HOsPlTALs AT CORlHTH. ..
MEssRs EDrroRs: In passing through the eu.
oampments and hospitals Of The Western army
near Corinth, some things which l witnessed
daily, and almost hourly, struck me - very
unwise In the management Of our army Affairs,
which could be and ought 10 be corrected.
Hundreds Of our brave soldiers are dying
daily for the want Of proper nursing end care
and suitable food and clothing. .,..F...
Civilians, not officially connected With the
service, are, u . general thing, carefully ex.
cuded from the lines and when volunteer
itation Of aid societies, frequently on large psy
very few Of them will perform the unpleasant
drudgery incident 10 camp lite amoug the sick
In the field or In hospital; or II they attempt H.
faithful performance, they soon weary OF sucb
toll and leave for their distant homes; 40 that
| the regular surgeons are compelled TO fall back
on the old army regulation, OF demanding
detail Of men from the ranks for nurses but
for some time past the army hss been ~ re-
duced by sickness and death, that the officers
have not been able to furnish the requisite
L. r. - L.
quently devolved on the cOnvalescing- sick
and wounded, In the meantime, suiisriog ex.
tremely for the most ordinary attentions. And
although our patriotic ladies all over The land
are plying u eli fingers day and night to keep
up hospital supplies Of clothing, wagon loads
Of these goods, after being used once, lia on tie
ground 10 the rains for weeks, and rot f.r the
l want Of persons To wash them. have ssuiI
hundreds Of wounded men lying 10 the bloody
garments In which they were shot down in
battle or on picket duty for weeks, without tn,
possibility Of change. occasioning . stencil
almost uncomfortable, tn which the poor fellow
moved " their distant homes, or until they we.
ready to be carried to soldiers grave, which
was TOO frequent. '..
Now, why not employ the contrsbands who
swarm around our lines, whenever permitted
by our generals to escape from rebel masters,
10 the hot and unhealthy climate Of Tennessee
and Mississippi 10 assist the nurses and TO serve
/ Us cooks and washers for our sick and wounded
men. They are acclimatsd; they are accus-
toned to the heat and outdoor life, and would
gladly serve for their subsistence alone. TIE
washing Of the necessary changes OF clothing
for our sick aud wounded would more than
| compensate for the expense incurred, to say
nothing of the incalculable service they could
render soldiers able to bear arms, In perform
| ing the labor and drudgery, often menial In iis
nature, which Is now breaking them down ami
carrying them TO their graves by the thousand.
Some Of or commanding generals In the field
are so very delicate In their sensibilities to
wards secession sympathzers, and 90 careful
Of the rights Of rebels, a. 10 induce them 70 In
pose great hardships on our troops. have
been pained to see our poor soldiers, often
really unable for duty, though reported, as con
yalesoent, for light duty, standing guard around
the houses and property OF Southern people,
who were a. disloyal to the Union as Jefferson
Davis, and far less patriotic In their impulses
being too cowardly TO risk anything 10 the
rebel cause. They profess Union sentiments
10 save their property; and our poor Union
soldiers, pale and emaclated BY sickness and
hard fare, are required, on account Of this hol
low profession Of loyalty, to stand guard over
their premises, without shelter, sleeping on the
ground or In the wet grass, exposed 70 rains
hesvy nightdews, and miasmatic atmosphere
which, In many cases, develops malignant
fevers, that require them 10 he returned 10 the
hospitals, from which too many Of them are
never removed, until the poor brave, uncom
planning, noble fellows are wrapped in q sol
dier's blanket, and, without 80 much as rough
coffin, carried by their comrades TO q shallow
trench, which answers the purpose Of bury
ing place for the defenders Of our liberties and
all we hold dear a. . nation. And while Our
brave Union troops are thus contracting theil
death sickness in this losthsome service, and
dying by the thousands without the most com
mon coarse nurslng, the hypocritical rebels ar.
enjoying oil the comforts Of home, under thf
protection Of our soldiers, whom they ours,
and spit upon, and betray, and openly rejoic-
st their sickness, suffering, and dea;h. AND
when loyal negroes escape 10 our lines, wht
would gladly serve In the most menisl capacity
for their subsistence alone, our generals, nndel
the influence Of Q kind Of negro insanity, send
them back to their treacherous rebel masters, I,
be whipped and tortured on account Of lLeli
loyal proclivities-
Why should the dead Of the army be buri.,
without cOfins! II pained me 10 the heart I,
witness such interments The burial Of thos.
1 killed 10 battle, in their blankets alone, W er.
The numbsr Is large and danger Is great, maj
be excusable. But cannot excuse II in rela
ton 10 those who die In hospital When Off
GERS are asked why some kind Of cofin or bo,
10 not made 10 which TO bury the remains o
the dead, their reply usually was the lack 0
transportation for lumber, when steamers in
Government employ, and under high pay, wer'
lying Idle by the week at the wharf. In on,
instance, which came under my personal no
tice, one Of these boats while under the pay o
the Government, was occupied by . pleas,lr,
party Of curiosity seekers for ten days or i've
weeks.
Knowing that thc remains OF their dead bus
bands and sons were subject 10 this mode o
burial, Of course occasions great anxiety D.
procure them for removal and interment II
their respective homes Yoa may imagine tn,
grief occasioned by Gen. Halecks order, ex
cluding all civilians from the battle fl Id o
Pittsburg Landing. Hundreds OF fathers an,
mothers, and wives, and sisters, SONS ant
brothers were Fastening to this terrible seen,
Of carnage, with the hope Of rescuing their be
loved ones wounded In hhat awful battle or
II too late for this, to secure their remains 70
Q decent burial. Every boat was crowde,
with these messengers Of mercy, when tn
Generals order met them at Cairo. No pei
can describe the bitter anguish this order oc
J casioned.