The Portland daily press., 1862-12-16
New England Soldiers Relief Association.

New England Soldiers Relief Association.
III. r. Warriner, President; j. B. Alvord,
Secretary; f. Houghton, superintendent
Head Quarters, 5. Z. corner of Thirteenth and
Chestnut Streets.
This Association, formed for the purpose of
assisting the sick and wounded soldiers from
the New England States, in the U. S. Army
Hospitals in this city, and such as may need
aid while passing through here on their way
to the army or their homes, desire that those
who are interested in the subject should fully
understand the method adopted to carry out
this purpose.
Our plan is to appoint one or more visitors
to each hospital, whose duty it is to see every
New England patient, and by means OF a prop
er blank, get his military history, sanitary con-
dition and home address. We then endeavor
TO supply his necessities, and as far as possible
promote his general comfort. The names thus
obtained are reported at our Head Quarters"
with the name of the hospital and number of
the rdrd and bed in which each each patient
is to be found; then these names are entered
upon the register for the State to which they
severally belong. The subsequent changes,
return to duty and discharges or deaths are
also duly reported and entered. The registers
being open for public inspection, any person,
by application at our rooms, may readily OBJ
tain the exact location of their friends from
New England.
IL Il patient Is very Ill, ana not likely 10 re-
cover the relatives or friends are notified, and
the necessary instructions obtained as TO the
disposition of the body in case of death. in the
event of which, if desired, we have the body
embaimed and forwarded according to the in
structions received, provided the family or
friends dcfray the expenses, which vary ac-
cording to the distance from $50 to S45. No
charge is ever made for the services rendered
by the association.
The number of soldiers whose names are on
our registers at the present time is about 1000,
large proportion of whom we have aided in
in one way or another. The donations of
money and clothing, thus far received, have
mostly been contributed by natives of New
England, resident in this city: but the daily
increasing demand now compels us to ask aid
from other sources, and we feel that we have
but TO make known our wants to New England
people at home, to so I'LL our treasury, and
stock our storeroom, that we shall be enabled
to supply every worthy applicant We there
fore respectfully solicit from individuals and
Aid Societies" donations of money, hospital
stores, and clothing OF all kinds, especially
flannel shirts and drawers (red or gray). and
woolen stockings. The demand for these lat
ter articles is much greater than We can sup
ply, yet the necessity for their being supplied
Is too apparent to need stating. All articles
of clothing tce gre directly to the patient.
patients name and give them in charge of the
Lady Matrons" OF the hospital, TO be given
out under the direction of the surgeon of the
ward: therefore donors may feel assured that
no article is misappled, but that the sick or
wounded soldier for whom ii was intended gets
the full benefit of every article sent to us for
distribution. Articles for hospital use, such as
Shirts, Drawers, Dressing gowns, Slippers,
Lint, Bandages, ETC., are also solicited, and
they will be distributed to such points as our
visitors find most needy.
Donations sent to us for general distribution
from other than New England States, will be
gladly received and faithfully given out, accor-
ding TO instructions, or to those most in want.
By the term General Hospital" being ap-
piled to each one, the impression has obtained
throughout the country that we have only one
immense hospital here. The fact is, however,
that We have about ttrenty, accommodating
from $50 TO 2000 patients each; therefore, a
letter directed to the ~. S. General Hospital,
Philadelphia rarely reaches the patient TO
whom it is addressed. Those who do not know
the exact one to which to direct their letters
should send them to the care of this assoca-
ton, who will have them promptly delivered.
We cannot close this circular without add
ing what we feel will afford comfort to
those who have relatives or friends in the hos
pitals in this city, viz: The assurance that the
medical treatment and nursing which they re-
ceive is generally good, and that in most in-
stances the latter is almost equal to what
could be given them ut home, lin many cases
even better,) excepting of course the soothing
care of the affectionate mother, wife, or sister,
Yet the absence of even these is in a great
degree supplied by noble band of truly
Christian women, Lady matrons," whose vol
untary devotion to the care and comfort of the
invalid soldier commands the admiration and
appreciation of every benevolent heart. Dur
ing his severe illness they sit by his bedside
and endeavor to relieve his pain or soothe his
anguish, They write for him, read for him,
and, if requested, pray for him. They also
prepare for him those little delcacies so essen
cial to his condition, and during his conval-
escence cheer him with their smiles and guide
him by their counsels. The term Lady mat
ron" will hereafter be a synonyme to many
for "Angel OF Mercy"
Communications may be addressed to the
Superintendent Correspondents should in
close return stamp.
PHILADELPHIA, November l. 1862