The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-11-15
Letters from the Army.


The following letters which throw light on
an important department of our army, will be
read with interest. They give information
touching matters which belong to the people.
Mrs. Eaton is well known in this city as a la
dy every way worthy and competent. Her
mission is among the Regimental hospitals of
the Maine Soldiers-those hospitals far remov-
ed from the ministrations and multiplied com
forts of the great central, permanent hospitals
in the capital and elsewhere. Portions of Mrs.
Eaton's letter of an uninportant or private
character are omitted.
BERLIN. Nov. 5. 1852.
DEAR FRIEND: Writing is almost out of
the question. We go from ambulance to h,s-
pital, and from hospital to ambulance. Some
times we find a corner to lie down ia parlor,
sometimes in a common dining hall we throw
ourselves on the floor for the night, and think
how much better OF we are than our poor suf-
ferng soldiers. am now writing in room
where there are ten or twelve eating dinner
and two sick men. We have been visiting hos
pitfalls and novels where the poor fellows who
have fallen back, or been sent back from the
main army, are lying on the floor without the
first thing necessary for comfort no beds, no
pillows, no surgeon even, and only hard bread
and pork to eat. In one miserable howell, with
out door or windows we found seven men, one
of whom thought looked very suspicious as
case of small pox. We searched round, found
a doctor, had the case examined, found our
suspicious correct, reported the case to Col.
Fillebrown of the Maine 10th, received his ear
nest thanks, while he sent the officer of the
day with us to point out the hut.
Now about our movements since last wrote
you. We were then at Frederic. Part of the
sick lin the hospital Of the Maine Cavalry
were on straw on the ground; but before we
left we gave ourselves no rest till we saw them
all on cots with their hospital tents floored
We left Frederic on Saturday morning, in an
ambulance for Sharpsburg, accompanied by
Mr.. HAYES. Stopped first at Mddletown aud
visited hospital in which were two Maine
men. Here we found the sick comfortably
provided for by the kind ladies in the place.
We crossed two battle-felds and saw all over
the ground the sad evidences of those fearful
in which were many Maine men in most MIS-
cradle condition. They had been there but
few days,were without medicines and hospital
stores; and as yet we were without supplies
We hope to visit them again. Instead of 60
ing TO Sharpsburg that night we decided to
turn aside to Smoketown Hospital Smoke
town indeed! We found the air sitting. both
from smoke and soiled clothes and all kinds of
filth around the camp. There were about 700
men, some thirty from our own State, sick
men lying here, who begged, as we were pass
ing, for clothing to put on that they might rise
from their beds and walk about. THEY HAD
NOT EVEN DRAWERS! Oh if we had only had
some comforts for these poor fellows The
tears started for joy, even for friendly shake
OF the hand and kind word.
We stopped at a farm house near the hospi-
tai, and next morning continued our Journey
On the way found in u school-house at Bakers
vile % men OF the Maine 9Th. They had been
left behind as their regiment moved on, and
by some mistake were left without any sup
plies. We promised to see that things were
provided for them by the commission at Sharps-
burg, ii they could send there and they tho't
they should be able to do this through the
kindness of good Union man in the neigh
borhood. Arriving at Sharpsburg in the
morning, crossed the pontoon bridge for Har-
per's Ferry. We had already kept our am
bulance day longer than 1t had been detailed
for us, although Capt. Boothby, of the caval-
ry, told US the driver was to take us wherever
we might wish to go. Gen. Slocum detailed
an ambulance to take US to the convaleseent
camp at Loudon Valley, which we visited es-
just arrived; their tents and supplies were on
the way, while they were hungry and suffer-
ing. We made cruel and hot coffee for the
tcorst cases, about so in number.
At Bolivar we visited the hospital of the
Maine 10th, left there on the advance Of the
regiment. They were almost destitute of
supplies, had 81 men in charge, some very
sick, good physician, DR.. Halves. II was a
source Of great satisfaction to US to inform
them that through a requisition we had made
at Frederic, a box of supplies was then ready
for them at the Ferry. 1t was Immediately
scut ioi, aHu SHiudcucu many uc;trtS, as wei
as healed their bodies. At Berlin the Maine
10th have hospital of some Is or 20 men,
DIR. Howard seems interested in his men, and
is doing all he can for them. They have beds,
pillows, and blankets. We have made cruel
and milk punch for those who required it, and
one man who was Gerry lotc seems really to be
ralying from the effects of little extra care,
and change of diet. Oh! it is impossible for
friends at home to begin to realize the suffer-
ings Of our poor soldiers all over this country.
1t is one vast hospital. / cannot picture it;
my heart is sick. The great army must be at
tended to; but the thousands and tens of
thousands who have fallen by the wayside,
how few care for such! H. A. EATON.
BERLIN, Nov. 10th, 1892
When last in Portland, conversing with you
touching the proposed work of our excellent