Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-11-13
The great work OF the Sanitary Commis
SION.

The great work OF the Sanitary Commis I
sion.
tt seems almost needless TO add 10 the tes-
umonials which from the beginning Of the
var 70 the present time have been gwen TO
tbe immense value Of the Sanitary Commis-
sion. The marvel Is that any persons Of any
reading or reflection should have any doubt
on the subject. Certain It is that the tens
oe thousands OF sick and wounded soldiers
whose wants have been relieved by It's laoors,
the numberless surgeons an. ofhcers who
nave testified TO the priceless Importance OF
the aid provided through It means, have
none. Without recurring u other remarkable
instances. we will mere only refer 70 the mag
nItude and value Of the operations Of the
Commission at Gettysburgh, II particular
First. we viii give our readers a lew extracts
from the Official report Of the &c Sanitary
Commission. No. 6S, Of the operations Of the
commission with the Army Of the Potomac
during the campaigns Of June and July,
1868. " conhning our extracts 70 the portion
OF the report which details operations imme-
diatelv connected with the great battle 81
that place the first week IL july
With the frs; news Of the battle o. Gstrys-
burg. Westminster the nearest point Of railroad
eonmunica tou tc the battlefield. was nIed
upon as the point o. approach, and authority 70
run 8 car daily with the government trains 70
thRt station was obtained
Two waron-ioads OF battlefield supplies had
been distributed 10 meet Deficiencies ID the stores
Of tine surgeons, shortly before the battle con-
Inenced. These wagons returned 10 Frederick
for loads. and two others, fully loaded, arrived
from Frederick 81 the moment ofthe assault Of
LonQstreet upon the LEFT wing Of the loyal army,
andWere pushed forward, under IRE, 10 reach
the collections Of wound II us rear. As one Of
them came 10 point where several hundred
sutiererS mad been taken from the Rnnulances
and laid upon the ground behind q barn IN the
rear Of our line Of battle, Oh the LEFT wing then
nerceiy engaged, surgeon was seen 10 throw
u me arms. exclaiming, Thank God mere
comes the Sanitary Commission Now we shall
be sble 20 do something tie mad exhausted
nearly al ms supplies and the brandy, beef
soup. sponges, ehiOroform. lint and bandagef
winch were at once furnished nm. were M
doubtediv the means OF saving many lives The
empty wagons which had gone back 70 Freder-
ick. we're reloaded and ready 20 leave there OF
the 4th lir Mcdonald. VINO was acting Chief
Inspector II the held. havIrg arranged Tor the
lrtner movement OF supplies ny Westminster
undertook 10 conduct one Of the wagons 10 Get
1vsburg by EmmitsDurE the nearest route; the
other was sent by the way Of " estmlnster The
latter got safely through 10 the hospitals IN the
rear Of the army; the former. with NJ Melon
sli ana the hev Mr. Scandlin. relief agent
and the teamster. fell IntO the hands " the ed
euv's cavalry. and have since been heard o.
marching as prisoners with the rebels il their
retreat I'r Mcdonald having been charged
with the cnlef responsibility Of The operations O..
the Commission upon the battlefield and esDe-
cialiy with that Of arranging communications
and methods OF supply. MS absence. the cause OF
which Was not for some DAYS understood. caused
some embarrassmeut Supplies having howeyer.
been sent 70 Westminster. before the close Of the
battle, a school-house centrally situated among
the corps hospitals, was taken as q field depot.
70 which thev were as rapidly as possible
brought ny three remaining wagons then Oh the
ground, and from which they were rapidly dis
triuutei where most needed Eleven wagon
loads Of SPECIAL supplies were mere distributed
20 the corps-hospitais and 70 scattering groups
Of wounded found IL the field. before any SUP
plies arrived uy railroad Additional means Of
transportation were AZ length procured from the
country people, % whom, slso. some stores were
obtained, and q station was opened 10 the town
Of GetrysDurr Or the 9th. the branch railroad
10 Gettysburg. which had been broken up hv the
enemy. WAS 50 far repaired as 10 allow a tram 10
approach within mile Of the town By the
nrst tram which came over II after the battle
two carloads OF bic goods were eut
bv the COMMISSIONED two OF more went ov
each succeeding train Tor a week The wounded
nov began TO Be brought from the held to the
Railroad Tor removal to liked hospitals elsewhere
As they arrived much faster than they could Be
taken away, they were laid OF the ground e1-
posed 10 the rain, OF to the direct ravs Of the
July sun, without food. This having been al
ucipated and provided for by the Commission =
agents II Baltimore, on the second day the Com
mission had a complete relief station, on a large
scale, II operation. az the temporary terminus
Of the railroad Il consisted Of several tents
and awnings, with kitchen ano other COVE
nIences- @from that time to the present. from
one 70 two thousand wounded men have been FED
81 TIM station daily, and from one 10 two hun
ard urnisa II Uets at night Withthe couple
tOu Of Ibs roG I, the rsliefstaTion W removed q
the toEn, new and larger depot Tor the dlstri-
button Of goods vss alse established ID the town.
and additions horses and wagons to assist IN
this duty were got up fl n Baltimore
The following Is al incomplete statement Of
the quantities Of the principal articles distribu-
ted by the Commission 10 the wounded upon the
held Al Gettysburg, during the ten days follow
ting the battle. The perisnsble articles gAmourt-
ing 70 over 90 tons) were taken 70 the ground
N retnger4ting cars 4 considerable QUANTITY
Of the same articles purchased from or contrib
uted BY the farmers about Gettysburg il not in
cluded under this statement
OF drawers. shirts, and other hospital body-
clothing, s.So4 pieces, beng equal 70 full suits
OF clean oed-clothIng FOR ten thousand wounded
men.
OF beds. sheets, blankets, comforts. pillow.
cushions for wounded limbs, and musouito-nets
l,fOU pieces, beng equivalent TO n complete
bed equipment Tor eighteen hundred men, Sc
verely wounded.
ARTIcLEs OF susTESANcE VIZ
Fresh poultry and mutton. 1000 pounds
Butter, 6.lOO