The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-04-04
ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.
CAxp 25TH Iowa IN1 BEFORE VIcKsBuRG,l
March 14th, 1868 ~

CAxp 25TH Iowa IN1 BEFORE VIcKsBuRG,l
March l4th, 1868. IS
Editor Of Rduk Eye; a
DEAR s1R-Owing to the scarcity Of "atirriDg
events in our present locality, have delayed
my correspondence in the hope Of being able to
furnish something more interesting and stirring
than:the common place events of camp life, but
have finally concluded to write, if for no other
purpose than to refute the vile FLANDERS upon
the officers and men Of the 25th Iowa, and the
supremely ridiculous stories in regard to the
sanitary condition of the Regiment, a. contain
ed in communications from the Regiment, pub.
lished in the Copperhead Organ at Burlington.
It was matter Of surprise to most Of us, that .
man, and especially an officer of the 25th could
be fonnd, who would 80 far debase himself and
his companions in arms, by inditiDg an epistle to
one of the meanest Of the organs Of the traitor
GUS Copperhead peace Democracy Of the North,
and still more astonishing that be or they should
90 mierepresent the facts in regard to the health
and condition of the Regiment So far from
the Regiment being al sick and dying as fast as
the survivors can inter them, We have lost but
four men out Of the Regiment since arriving at
our camp opposite Vicksburg, = date. Some
Regiments, it is true. have lost many men and
will perhaps lose many more, from their habits
Of neglect in regard to diet, cleanliness, Sleep
ing arrangements, etc. In almost every case,
the results we're caused by neglect in the use Of
proper means for preserving health. While on
the Transports, it Is true, it was almost impossi
BILE to escape disease, but when in Camp, in .
great majority Of cases, sickness can be avoided
by proper care This has been the case with us
Ever since We left the crowded transports the
good health Of the Regiment has been contin-
ually increasing, and We now show more men
for duty" than any other new Regiment Of the
same length Of service. This is owing in great
measure to the precautions taken by the Colonel
and the other officers, in establishing stringent
Rules, relative to cleanliness, exercise and sleeping
quarters, the men generally having their hunks
foot above the ground. To this more than
anything else are We indebted for the present
good condition Of the Regiment.
The following are the morning Reports of the
Regiment for February LIST, 1858, Gust after
leaving the transports) and for March 18th,
1868. both taken from the official records:
FEBRUARY lsT, 1868.
Fresent-For duty, officers &c, men 39s. Sick,
officers 2, men 2s8.
A6ssnt-With leave, officers l, men l; with.
out leave, officers l, men l; sick, officers 8, men
Total-Commissioned officers So; enlisted
men sSs.
MARCH 18th, 1868.
ffesens-For duty, officers 20, men 603; sick,
officers 2, men 70.
A6sent-With leave, officers 0, men l; with.
out leave, officers !, men q sick, officers 2, men
Total-Commissioned officers 81; enlisted men
Sa7; aggregate for duty 632.
A large number OF men have been discharged
in the interim. and some Of the officers have re.
signed but few have been lost by death, which
accounts for the difference in the aggregates. 1t
will readily be seen, however, that comparative
" speaking, the sanitary condition of the Reri,
ment is excellent, and there is no found a.ion for
the Wholesale Misrepresentation of those who
would have it believed that the whole Regiment
Was in dying condition, thus creating in the
minds Of our friends ss home feeling Of DESPAIR