Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-08-22
SOLDIERS AID SOCIETY.

ments Of nine months men, returning
from Port Hudson. The 4th Massachu-
setts. 18th Maine, 47th Massachusetts,
2sth Connecticut, 18th and 49th Masss-
,husetts have successively claimed the care
Of our citizens. The SD Massachusetts,
and 23d Connecticut are here this
A full report of the work
of relief afforded, will be published as soon
as possible. We beg our correspondents
and friends in the country to bear with our
neglect Of the ordinary duties of the store,
and Office, while this unusual demandupon
our time strength continues.
Prom letter of Mr.. shippen of Pitts
burg, to the ladies of Meadville, we ex-
tract the following additional report of
his visit to Gettysburg battle field;
"A pleasing feature of the hospitals was
that our wounded men bore so heroicslly,
almost jubilantly, their sufferings. A
soldier would tell you first what regiment
he belonged to and where he was hit, and
then. 20, but didn't we make them ske-
daddle They thought they were going to
fight nothing but the militia, and found
there the old army Of the Potomac"
Whatever the individual loss, whether one
leg or two, every man rejOiced in the bat
tie gained that the army had been victo-
rious against vastly superior numbers and
the invaders had been driven from free
soil.
"A second rodeeming feature was the
grand manifestation of the patriotism, hu.
manity and Christianity of our land
through the voluntary relief afforded to
the sufferers. Surrounded by pile Of
boxes, on one of which she was seated, a
lady with an intelligent face in very plain
attire was pointed out to me as Miss Dix.
Mrs. Harris, Of Philadelphia, was also on
the ground with stores The Baltimore
fireuen had a depot from which was dis
rributed many supplies to our wounded.
The Adams Express Company also had
supplies which were devoted to the same
good object The Christian Commission
was largely represented by some two
hundred delegates, for the most part
preachers and divinity students from all
parts of the country. They had stores
from Philadelphia and Baltimore and we're
the means of accomplishing much good.
"On this emergency the same prompt
ness and liberality were shown by the San
itary Commission that has marked Its
course on all the great battle fields since
the beginning of the war. With Meade
advancing columns several army wagon
loads of supplies we're pushed forward snd
afforded great relief on the second and
third days of the fight While the Gamer
we're dealing out death and destruction
these gifts of the people possessed lif'
saving power. Some of the surgeons wert
ready to exelaim, In the name Of Heaven
where did the Sanitary Commission conn
FRONT
As soon as it was known that the bat
tie had been fought, large quantities o
stores were selected from the reserve stool
accumulated for the very purpose at Bal
timore and were pushed forward in wag
ons by various routes to the point Sucl
was the zeal to reach promptly the seen,
of action that three agents in charge 0
one shipment were captured by the en-
emy's cavalry.
The first train of cars that reached Get
tysburg after the battle brought many ton
Of goods for the Commission, and as sooI
as railroad communication was regularly
established supplies poured in daily wild
astonishing liberality. Several hIndre'
army wagon loads of hing, provision
and luxuries were quickly received aut
aniekly sent upon their errand of mercl
out among the woods and fields. The stor
houses of the Commission filled from foo
TO ceiling with goods, and the Sidewalk
and street near the door were for day
more or less obstructed with the piles o
boxes and barrels. An Arctic car fit
ted up expressly for the purpose, brOugh
every other day from Baltimore, fresl
mutton, chickens and green vegetables
Upon these supplies, with those furnished
by the Commisssry Department, tn
wounded were almost wholly dependant
as the country about Gettysburg had beer
stripped Of provisions, and for many day
the citizens encountered difficulty in OBJ
tanning their necessary food. Amoni
the many articles dealt out with libera
hand among the hospitals were 10000 lbs
Of fresh soft bread, 10000 do. fresh NUT
ton and poultry, packed in ice, 5 tons o
fresh vegetables, 1000 dozen of fresh eggs
5000 shirts and drawers, 800 boxes Of le
mons and oranges, one ton of tamarinds
10000 lbs. Of condensed milk, aud a lik'
amount of concentrated beef togethe
with large quantities Of sheets, towels
slippers, gowns, bandages, fans, and
multitude Of other things admirably calcu
lated to promote the health and comfort o
the sufferers. The above rude estimate
of quantities were made Of what had beeI
distributed within the first two weeks afte
the battle. These supplies were deal
put only upon the requisition Of a res
ponsible surgeon in charge Of
hospital as he alone can tell what his pa
tients require, what he can obtain from tn
Government and what each individual cal
safely use. The wounded, therefore, re
ceive toese articles of food and clothini
through the regular channel of supply, AM
are in the vast majority of cases ignoran
that they are wholly the free will offering
of the people. asked a wounded mai
from Crawford county, where he had 90
| his clean shirt, and he did not know unit
1 showed and explained to him the mark O
the "U. 8. Sanitary Commission" In re
membrance of how much Meadville an
Crawford county had done for the Commits
sion, it gave me double pleasure to bestol
/ upon some men of our section of countr-
articles which would add to their comfort
| passed through the various hospitals
number of times and it mitigated the ter
rors Of the scenes to see so many mad
comfortable and clean enjoying wholesome
palatsble food, through the kindness G
friends in the distance, who had neve
seen their faces, but who gave strong sym
psthy for the cause in which they had fal
len. By the Sanitary Commission Stat
lines and local distinctions are totally ip
nored, and it was with no small pleasure
on one occasion, that stuffed my pocket
with handerchiefs, from Worcester Mass
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