Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-10-10
From the Caledonian.
LETTER FROM A HOSPITAL.
u. S. GENERAL HOSPITAL, !
Newark, N. j., Sept. 80. (
To the Editor Of the Caledonian !:

To the Editor Of the Cdtedonsan:
AS your correspondent has been unable
to write much for the last three months,
having beeni hospital most of the time,
he of course has not kept you posted with
the Affairs of the Sd Vermont. Thinking
perhaps, that something about army hos
pitfalls might be interesting to many, in
the absence of an army letter, will spend
an hour in giving your readers some idea
of how the sick arc cared for in the army
of the Potomac. | shall write how they
are cared for in the Sd Vermont, which
which will perhaps answer as well, altho'
under the excellent care of surgeons James
and Goodwin | think the Sd receives much
better attention than the majority of reg
Tmcnts. As an example of their success
we have got to go back to Camp Griffin.
From the organization Of the regiment up
to March 10th. we did rot lose as many
by disease in the whole time as many 9TH
ers lost in one week.
At the time of the arrival of the army
at Harrison's Landing, thousands of men
were Frustrated from exhaustion and ex-
posurc during the seven days fight. Ma
ny, alas, contracted diseases in that re-
treat that never have or will recover.
Our own Brigade mustered only one thou
sand men fit for duty. Many of the sick
were sent to northern hospitals, and still
more were left than could be accommoda-
ted in the regimental hospitals. From
time to time large numbers were sent to
the general hospitals. The most preva-
lent diseases are fevers and bowel COM
plants, diseases which contracted on the
Peninsula, are hard to get rid of, and if
at all, only by weeks of suffering.
But to return to the hospital. During
the retreat from in front of Richmond,
many tents, and among them the tents be-
longing to the medical corps, were left be-
hind and destroyed. This made them
short, and it was only after new supply
was received that they had their compile
ment. Until then, and even after, many
a soldier was compelled to lie in his little
tent with scorchlng sun pouring down
upon him, with no care except what his
comrades could do for him, when not OH
duty. The rcgimental hospital of the Sd
would accommodate Is patients this was
kept full constantly 1t was only when
man was very sick that he could be ia
ken in, and as soon as he could move
about, he must 60 back to his company to
give place to some one sicker than him
self. This was the only just way that
could be done. The surgeons did al they
could, but without government furnished
her men with tents, of course nothing
more could be done.
The ground was the floor of the hospi-
tai, but was kept scrupulously clean.
The beds were straw ticks, filled with
straw or hay, and raised three feet from
the ground by laying poles on crotched
stakes driven in the ground, and then
short boards nailed on the poles. Each
bed was seperate, room being left between
each. The tents were large enough fol-
two rows, and four in row. Here the
sick are as we'll cared for as can be done
under the circumstances. One of the
nurses is constantly present and the 9th
er two near at hand in case of need.
The doctor visits his patients three
times day and often as many times at
night The hospital is ofted furnished
with luxuries as we'll as clothing from the
sanitary commission, or from friends il
Vermont. | forgot to mention that tn,
beds were furnished with sheets and plen
ty Of blankets, which is o luxury to ;
soldier that has not had his clothes of
since he enlisted, except to change them
Fresh bread is furnished from Temporal
ry oven built for the purpose. Fresl
beef is plenty, boiled, fried or roasted.
The greatest pest, not only to the sicl
but to the well, are common flies Tho,
gil every tent, great or small in swarms
Vcrmonters cannot conceive of the multi
tudes. They are in and about everything