Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-05-23
e0LDiERsI am SOCIETY.
eS RAxK sTzrHF, CLEyELANp,
Nav Q2d. 1868.

Va. The Shipment 70 Ooth
POINTS consisted Of fifteen packages con-
4s6 articles Of bedding, 1875 towels
md handkerchief, q quarts Of fruit S86
lbs. dried fruit, so crutches, s27 books,
md 10 sundries.
The withdrawal Of SO great a proper
ton Of the troops from Western Virginia
and concentration Of the general interest
upon the Southern Department has % a
great degree excluded from public atten-
ton the wants Of hospitals still remaining
at the various posts.
The vicinity of Wheeling has been too
hesvily taxed to yield sufficient supplies
to the depot Of the Commission ct that
point and its stores are at present drawn
almost exclusively from Rooms Of this
Society. Although we are obliged to
make constant exsrtions to fill the requi-
sitions made upon us for the use Of
the armies Of the Cumberland and
the Mississippi. Our troops in Virginia
are not forgotten, and in no single case
has q request for hospital stores for that
Department been refused.
Fifteen packages Of goods have been
sent, May eth,) to Winchester, Va to the
sick Of the I2sd o. v. 1. These articles
consisting Of fresh vegetables, eggs, pick
les and dried fruit were forwarded By US
for the s. A. s., NOrwalk, o.
A car lOvd Of goods goes down to Nash
Vile to-day under the care of Captain
Burney, but particulars Of the shipment
must be deferred until next week.
We are in receipt Of the full report Of n.
C.. Read, agent Of the ComissiOn at Muir
freesbOrO', portions Of which appeared in
last Saturdays Leader. We publish to-
day the following additional e1tracts-the
first Of which relates to the Soldiers
Home At Nashville, and contains some &C.
count Of its purposes and value:
The establishment Of the Soldiers
Home at Nashville has thrown upon US o
new branch Of work. Almost every day
discharged soldiers reach their home from
this point with papers SO defective that
they cannot draw their pay upon them,
some With papers which would enable
them 10 draw . part only Of that which
was justly their due. When this occurs
the soldier remsins at the Home" and
his papers are returned for correction
here. l make it 3 point upon the arrival
Of the train to have my horse ready sad
died and my other business so arranged
that I can ride promptly to the regiments
and secure the correction of the papers in
time to return there, if possible, by the
afternoon train always by the next dsy.
In doing this I cannot cease TO think of the
loss, anxiety and delay the soldier dis
charged from the service must nave eX-
p~erienced at Nashville before this work
was assumed and systematized by the
Commission; or Of the sickness Of heart
which would well nigh crush out the little
life remsining in the sick and crippled
soldier without money and among stran-
gers. anxious to reach his home with the
thought, perhaps, that it was only to die
there, when be found his papers we're
worthless and he had no one to 90 to for
help. The importance Of this work could
| n6NGE A1NE D6pH AuAly AA0WA GAGNPA
through the experience Of doing it.
The answer Of kilograms and letters Of
inquiry from the Hospital Directory at
Louisville and from friends At home who
communicate directly with this Office has
become an important part Of the work
here, q work always interesting-often
sad Is the information to be communics-
ted. II the Hospital records and the long
list Of casualties ct the battle Of Stone
River and subsequent skirmishes offer no
positive data FOR answering the inquiry, OF
finding the soldier, recourse is had to the
officers Of the regiment. At first reliance
was placed upon letters to the regiments,
but the results were far from satisfactory,
and now If the regiments are accessible
personal inquiry Of the officers Of the
company and an inspection Of the com
psny rolls IL always resorted to, if the
man cannot otherwise be found. This
work and the correction Of discharge pa
pers is doing much to endesr the Commits
sion to the hearts Of the soldiery. Here
tofore dealing almost exclusively with the
sick and wounded, the able bodied soldiery
in the field who really mold the public sen
timent Of the army and communicate il
to the people at homo, knew bui
little Of the work of the Commits
sion, and the receipt Of one box Of
stale pound cake and mouldy gingerbread
for the we'll men Of the regiment, although
calculated 10 ill the hospitals, rather thar
relieve the sick would occasion mora com
pulsstory letters Of thanks to the donors
than the receipt Of carloads Of purely hos
pital stores. But now as you visit tn
regiments to get the discharge papers cor
rected and point out to the soldier bow hu
or his comrades can secure all needed
assistance on his way home, if discharged
to gather around you the comrads Of
missing soldier to. gather up all the inf0r
nation possible, sndreeeive any clue Whicl
shall determine his fate, the constant ex
preston you hear is decided and heartfelt
Il Thank God that somebody is doing thi
work for the soldier" :
A few instances will illustrate the diff
culties and the interesting character o
this part OF the work.
Eli Gleason; Company C, 21st Michigan
Volunteer Infantry, is enquired for. N
satisfactory information being sttainsbl
here, the regiment IL visited. It is fOunt
that he is accounted for on the muster roll
Of his company up to the Slst Of Decem
Der, from which tins his name is drOppel
and no explanation given but on enquir,
among his comrsds it is sscertsined tina
he was wounded in the battle of Ston
River, and taken to 8 hospital which va
subsequently captured by the rebels, wheI
he was taken four miles te the rebel res
by . conrad who was also 3 prisoner, anC
is now at Camp Chase paroled, then al
positive information ends. His WouR,
ought not to have been fatal, for although
shot In the hip another conrad saw hin
walk without help some twenty rods to tn
rear, indicating that it Wss merely q hesl
wound. It Is also in the regiment state
that after the occupation of MurfreesborC
by our forces, the name Of the soldier