Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-08-08
MISCELLANEOUS.
WHOSE FAULT IS IT!
For II: ErlNi;

,.liSsK:. EnlroE3 We would earnestly call
.he attention 81 the humane Of this city to
the condition Of the SICK i'll our field hospitals.
it is understood that sick soldiers are nol al
lowed TO be sent TO TIE city hospitals for
treatment.
The reasons inr ,his MAJ he just ard ;s'iSo
We cannot Sag. But there IS one thiD}. We
10 know, and that is, that the condition III
ysanv Of the men in the sick campo near the
city IS heart rendering 10 look upon. In one
large cSuip which we visited ie" days sihce,
we saw sights tina! paine.i and mortified Us
extremely, Here iay the noble fellows who
had chae7luily come forth ct the ccl! Of their
country from the comfort and abunurDcc Of
their homes, v-r;thils III pain, and literally
piniIg with want.
Some were stretched ca blankets or pieces
Of carpet, spread on the bare ground, others
lay OH little scattered straw or on scantily
filled straw beds; while others-the sickeSt
pa.ients-lay in large tents, on planks raised
. few inches from the damp earth, and
covered with few hlani7ats or filthy h"---
made bed-Gullts.
NAM Of these men We're worn and wasted
ID mere skeletons: some ci them endured
their sutfeTinss silently, others gro"ned il
anguish, while others mIttered incuh2Tentiy
in the Gelirium Of fever.
What Tas the fare Of these me-. Save
the few articles that could be procured by the
humane comrades who attended them, or by
the physician Of The post, it was such as the
ConmisSary Department afforded. Bacon
sides. that will cut four inches Of clear fat;
Beet, made into so-callcd soups; rice, well
smoked or burned in cooking, with little
sugar and dried fruit, made up the tempting
bill OF fare.
The Surgeon seemed to DC, and We doubt
not Is, kind-hca7tcd humane mall, WHO does
much for the comfort of his patients, but we
know that much more might be done for these
poor sufferers. Why arc not comnisSary
officers appointed for these SEX caiup:, Hen
Of some humanity who I'll take soIur pains
to provide such articles u diet as the sick aead
and can relish:
If cur sick are to be Kept in field hospitals,
why do not the proper authorities send down
q full suppl: OF large airy tents, cots and com
Portable beds, so that the poor fellows, SICK III
body and T. mind, may be made 10 feel that
their government; has 30. forgotten them =
If our generals would swell the ranks Of their
armies instead oi the ranks in the gravevards,
they must have thorough reformation i'll
-!leSc LtiO
For the sake OF humanity let this great
evil DC at once corrected. Ne csll upon our
high officials 20 turn their harGes heads TO-
wards these sick camps when they ride out
some tine afternoon. Go and sec how these
patriot; of tie Confederacy fare-go see how
matters are conducted beyond the limits Of
The nice Office whence orders are isS,icd.
We urge the ladies, and the Humane ASso-
citation OF this city, TO give their attention,
without a days delay, TO these Held hospitals.
The most OF them are within n few miles of
the city, and iii hours drive will take you
where, if you can have human sympntEies,
they will be stirred to their utmost depths.
The relief committees from the different
States, will fiud their fellow-citizens scattered
through all these sick camps: need we tell
them how gladly they will be hailed by the
suffering boys from their own neishbor-
hoods .
With healthy location, near pure Watc1,
cleanliness, suitable diet good tents, comfort
able cot-beds, kind and skillful surgeons who
nave humane hearts in their breasts, and ut
tentive nurses, the sick soldiers may do better
: in the country than in the hot end crowded
city; Tut with these wanting onehalf hare the
sick in our regiments had better have fallen
in battle, and thus been delivered from the
iorg drawn rnseriea Of sick camp.
This subject demands the Immediate attcn-
ton of the proper department Of the Coz
eminent. CRSESvEF.