, 1862-01-11
'@hf Ttihumt.


wv
SATURDAY., JANUARY II, 1869, |
WHO KILLS OUR SOLDIERS:
4 learned man has defined the soldier to
lie, "a man who gets his living by being
killed" This seems to he very true and
good definition 1t was not an imperfect
definition Of the soldier in the times when
the tools and means for taking lie in war
were simple, rude aud Inefficient and when
we sec all the new weapons, implements
aud machines with which our modern
armies are supplied, we feel etill more
deeply the truth that the soldier is to be
killed, and that killing, and being killed
are his main business and occupation
Now cruel and savage as all this appears
to us, Jet our soldiers go forth to meet
those dangers with willing and brave
hearts, and in fact pass through the clash
ing Of steel and fire Of batteries, escape the
edge Of the sword, the aim Of the bullet,
and all the assaults and hazards Of battle
in comparative safety. The enemy who t
kills the soldier oftenest. whose attack Is |
most fatal, whose reache1y is most deadly, |
is not he who marches against him with all |
the improved implements Of modern war,
but the foe who is On his own side and in his |
own camp. The foe, whose mortal shot
our soldier must fear the most, is not the |
one who is armed with mimic rife, sword,
bayonet, rifed cannon; and the best I'M |
proved drill; hut the man to whom he
looks for his food, for his clothing, for
shelter, for wholesome regulations to Sc
cure health in camp and field. There are
many more who fall ingloriously in camp,
beneath the treacherous and fatal arts and
practices Of knavish contractors, cheating
officials, ignorant and vicious surgeons and
commanders, men who rather Wear the
colors Of patriotism and loyalty than meet
q soldiers death on the battle field.
And although so much is seid. every:
where of the frauds and crimes which de-
file and blacken the whole business Of army
contracts and supplies, yet we aye too prone
to look npon these rascalides and 1obberies
solely as bringing loss Of money, and un-
necessary expense upon those who bear
the burden Of payment, and forget the fir
more Important and heinous fact that this
cheating and fraud are more fatal to our
soldiers, do more to weaken and destroy
our force, and more to give US defeat and
the enemy victory, than all the furious as
saults, fierce storming, fatal charges, and
bloody struggles Of actual fighting,
The soldier, when he offers his life for the
defense Of bis country, offers it to the haz-
ards Of the battlefield, and not to the as
sassin stroke Of his OWL side The coun-
try has right to place him where there can
be N. escape from steel and ball; but there
is no right to give the furnishing Of the
supplies for bis daily wants and supports
into inefficient and dangerous hands; and
the Government is bound by every obliga,
ton to provide that he shall be well fed
well clothed, and well cared for, in every
respect What more gross Outrage, what
greater crime can be imagined, than thai
the citizen who freely offers his life for tht
defense Of his country, should have tha
life stricken down By stealthy disease, ant
lurking pest1ence, led into his tent ant
ambushed around him, by the fraud AMI
treachery Of contractors and officials? T
employ savages in civilized warts an outrage
though let loose against your enemies
but that is 8 humane and honorable prac
ticc by the side of the eno1
NOUS guilt Of those who by neglec
or fraud expose the soldier to the inroad
Of disease and weakness, rob him Of hi
defence against the keen edge Of frost an
cold, and bring in and arm against wit
poisoned arrows the whole savage band {
camp feyers and diseases.
We are losing more men By sickne:
than by battle. An unskilfnl or needles
surgeon; commander too stupid Or inef
cient TO enforce proper sanitary regulation
on the march and in the camp; the rascal
contractor who giTes bad bread, POI
meat, clothes Of shoddy and shoes Of fe]
lily made tents Of worthless material, ar
other rotten, or tainted, or spoiled clothe
provisions and supplies, are each and 6
more terrible and fata1 to our soldiers thz
any armed foe. These are the plague tn
walks in darkness and the pestllence th
strikes at MONDAY. For such traitors AZ
such crimes there Is no fate too terribl
No horrible doom which the traitor, t
assassin, the poisoner merits, is too drea
full for them.
We trust that the Government "
make signal examples Of some Of the
proving thieves and assassins, that t
brave men who are fighting this great b
tie for the country may know that th
shall not be struck by foul blows in t
back, nor sent to their graves By the dead
thrust Of treacherous scoundrels, who a
filing their Golfers with money, every d
" lar Of which is tainted with the blood
lhc best and bra1est Of the land.
j. =..s--=-- - .~
- CONGRESSIONAL TNACTION,