Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-03-19
ceRnEsPoHDENcE OF THE JOURNAL"
CrMnERLANp. .Md.. March III. 1862.


EDIroR RAFrsMAN's JOURNAL Dear Sir : /
see in your last issue card of the ladies-of
Clearield inviting contributions for box OF
supplies for the benefit of the sick of the S4th
Regiment Pa. Vol, now in hospital here. |
am well assured from the names of the ladies
appeuded 10 the card, that it will be forthcom-
ing, and that the contents will be equally we'll
chosen and valuable. l have for the last two
months or more, been detailed on duty by my
Colonel, to see TO the wants and comfort Of the
sick, more particularly of our own Regiment
Cum berlsnd, L may say, has been genera!
hospital house for the reception OF the late
Gen. Lander's division. The kind and char
acter OF the military service 20 which the most
OF this division oi &c, 900 men subject,
was followed with its inevitable consequences.
The Gene-ni himself fell victim, and many
OF his command shared his fate-and many
will follow yet.
Three weeks ago there were in seventeen
hospital accommodations IN Cumberland, such
court house, academy, halls, saloons, en-
gine houses, commission warehouses, lecture
rooms, and vacated hotels, seventeen hundred
more sick. An additional hospital was ft-
ted up for the accommodation of two hundred
and thirty more, in a spacious hotel building
near FTOStbuTS, some six or seven miles from
here. IN ALI these receptacles, disease was
doing its fell work. Pneumonia, catarri.,
measles, typhoid and inflammatory tevers,
breaking down the strong aud infrm alike.
Notwithstanding the skill and industry Of the
corps o; medical men in attendance-for in
addition to the town physicians, the Medical
Army Director, called to his aid hysicians
from the adjacent towns,I and even from
Wheeling and Cincinnati and other far oti
plscrs-the men perished eight, nine and ten
II lay, still they were sending up from the
camp. Every forced aud night march, at the
Impuiuous order, and often under the daring
lead oi the General himself, despite all wealth
rr, all winds, sent its sufferers hither. Men
o. iron nerve and brazen~ muscle might have
"ihstOod, hut ordinary flesh and fire, even
the best q our hardy backwoodsmen it Grip
p!ea and laid upon their backs. Many a strong
sreTy man | have seen broken down and
helpless and feeble a chiId--others wild and
Ta'ing In the derium of fever, or trembling
and qTyerlng IN Typhoid-the cough, so DIS
tFeSsiug ard eXhauSting, Of pneumoDia-bnt
Il waa not the degree extremity of one suf-
ieTng, @! Of many these sights and sounds
met YOU at every turnout OF one hospital in
!" another the suffering was there, and perhaps
OF a worse type.
Last week owing to the march OF the divis-
Ion down to Martinsburg, and the new allot
ment OF Cumberland, as locality, to General |
h0sencranZ's command. the influx of the sick |
has been arrested. There are now about l40O |
cases In the town hospitals. and upwards of |
IZO IN FrUstburg wards. I visited two diving |
'nen to-day. Every second day go TO the |
dead-house, where the corpses are laid out |
and coftined, ready for burial. There find |
constantly from six TO eight or ten dead. |
invariably attend TO the burial of the dead of |
our own Regiment, but not only of them, for |
l take my turn with the seven or eight other |
chaplalns, in following the mbulance of de-
parted Indiana, Ohio, illinois, Michigan and |
'!Fginia so!ders-a prayer, brief burial |
i.
ke's OF the IL or Is men always detailed to |
march 70 the grave.
ahond spring be early and mild very many
oI ihe sick will recover. new Medical Di-
rector ordered here, has inaugurated a better |
Mnitary regimen and there is now an efficient,
aoie corps OF post and ward surgeons. The
''oeK OF medicines is enlarged and improved,
so1 sII the details of ward masters and nurses,
"@ie and female. ventilation and scrubbing
and sweeping are idgfdly enforced. Many
., a. orange and apple or bit of candy have
'"Fped into the hand or under the pillow oi
P0oF sufferer. Yours, ALEX. M'LEoD.
WASHINGTON D. c., March IL, 1862.
DEAR JOURNAL The long looked for for
ga'd movement has been made, and Manassas
ours without striking a blow, or seeing an
,.aemy-that place that seemed to be a terror
" " 'he commander of an army of two hundred
ttVusand men. Sunday night the army on
'n SIDE OF the Potomac began to move. and
SS"aonday night the advance biyouacked in the
se'eFled entrencbments at Manassas. Persons
~'ect from there state, that the rebels COM
,5sced T5enced leaving on Friday previous, aud that
-, "e last had left only few hours before our
=, Ups ops entered. The place presented scene
A." "e utmost desolation-a mass of charred
Ns oackened ruins. At Centreville, they
1O1 perfec; their plans Of destruction, 2s