The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-05-01
2 Yor tho Lancaster Gazette.


FOR the Lancaster Gazette.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 20, 1869.
Messrs, Editors. l have been informed
Iba, lie citizens a fairfield county, desi-
ring 10 provide for the sick and wounded
soldiers from that county alone, censured
the S,a,e ofli,e for not permitting the
citizens Of the county 10 carry out such q
project.
For the information Of ;he friends ofihe
soldiers from Fairfield county who are al
SO my friends and acquaniapces ! deem
|; proper to s'a'e what ! know and have
seen Oh this subject. went to the bat
tie gronnd OF Pitlsburg Landing, on
steamboat chartered by The Governor Of
Ohio. expressly for the purpose Of assist
ing The wounded. |. WAS in charge Of
the Lieut.. Governor aud Surgeon Gener-
al. About one hundred persons, one half
oil whom were among the best Phy Sicisns
Of this State; the others as nurses, many
Of them having had much experience a.
nong tbs soldiers during the war, were
taken by that Boat to render all the as
sistasce possible. The boat was lOaIed
with Hospital Stores Of all kinds, and
many articles that had been furnished 10y
Soldiers Aid Sooieties. Sanitary Com.
missions. DC. ~
The boat was loaded with the wound
ed soldiers twenty four hours after her
arrival at the battle ground. The sold
iers were oil washed, dressed in clean
clothes and lad upon Mise cots; their
wounds we're dressed, amputstions we're
made when necessary; they were nured
and as tenderly cared for az thy could
haye been in their own homes. i'.
Among tho wounded on the boat was
The brave son of Jonas A. Rsam Of Ian.
crstsr. from the 58th Regiment. think
he will agree with me in my statements
at least parted with him lying comfort
I able on his cot, reading paper, aud h
could hardly express bis graIitudefor sucl
kind treatment a,
write tbs o.show your cltiz,ns tba
tho Stale officials are doing their duty il
, Ibis parIcular and all that can be done
They have sent other boats and nauv per
sons ~ the battle ground for tho sam,
purpose. p.t,.t
The Surgeon General, and many Of tn
8 persons who accompanied our boat, 10
; mained at the battle ground. l saw then
visiting tho hospitals, inquiring into th
condition Of the Ohio troops and dis,rib
uting their stores, sent by the kind friend
= at home, for hat purpose.
/, ON satisfied that thu s ate autholitis
n can attend to this matter. aud do atten
t. to it, IN mora satisfactory manner lha
4. the citizens of the State can rs a priyat
4 enterprise. Your citizens have no COO
ceptiou Of the difficulties TO BE- encounter
ed In such an entorpr;se--;he trouble {
. obtaining transportation, the impossibil
.. ty of finding the wounded and sijk 80
diers from any particular locality, the at
. noyance and hindrences throw about thcI
o by the military "red tape" system. c
. our twenty Steamers that were uted Q
o hospital boats IN conveying away frol
Pittsburgh the wounded aud bick. onl
ono was used exclusively Tor soldiers lroI
any ono locality. ln that case "ver
: high minded" woman induced very ma,
rov miadsd surgeon, on Gen. Halleok'
q stSlT, TO issue al order that none shonl
be taken 10 that boat but soldiers iroI
Iowa and Wisconsin. Tho result was
most q mntiny. The 0hiS agents ha
!. been active III bringing to the riveriover
hundred soldiers which hBere refused :
, The men were obliged 10 lie on the groun
4 in tho rain, having been removed frol
! the hospital tents. Mob law was abol
Z to reign, when another boat, the'Loui'
, ians.. IiaSiy arrived and accommodate
, the Ohio soldiers. | venture 10 say thS
, no other order Of that kind will be issue
in that army, but that all benevolent o.
: forts will have 70 be made general, with
I. out distinction. The other boats wsr
A loaded with socesh wounded aud soldier
D from every State. without distinction,
This will show the impossibility u ca
n ing for any particular class. As sooh q
|. tho battle ends. the FIRST care Is for h
is wounded, Thsyare removed from III
y eoldiers it for duty, into general hospital
The wsll soldiers do not often soc tbel
again, and the mixture and confusion is
great member from any one Iocslii
cannot be found. They are cared for b
persons who are detailed for that parpos
w either from tho army or from The persol
o. who 20 ouias volunteer physicians M
nuI'eS from tho different States. II
stores Of the hospitals and the Santa,
Commissions are used generally, aud
assure my old friends Of Fairfield our 4,
=. disrs are cared for as we'll Az clioumsta
- ceS will permit. T. w. .TALlMADox.
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