Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-08-01
SOLDIERS AID SOCIETY.

faithful adherents aud supporters, have
.ouiekened- the -sympathies of those who
had grown weary in well doing and have
aroused the interest Of many who have
-hithsEt0g given little heed to the calls of hu-
manity and patriotism.
The letters that we receive from our
friends in Branch Societies all breathe
spirit of the utmost loyalty and enthusi-
asm, and the generous supplies that are
daily entrusted to our agency are the fitting |
exponents of the interest which is felt for
our victorious and suffering soldiers.
The noble work o; opening the Mississ-
ippi lays before US q broad field into which
we may pour the gracious gifts of people,
grateful from the depths of their loyal
hearts for the repOssessiOn of the great
commercial highway that secession has so
long withheld from its rightful owners
The Sanitary supply steamers follow close
in the wake of our victorious gunbOats
and our reviving river trade, and it should
be our earnest aim to send them laden
with noble thank Offering to the hun
dreds Of brave men who have fallen in the
struggle which has resulted SO gloriously
to our cause in the southwest.
From the Sanitary Commission depart
ment Of the Philadelphia Post we extract
the following account of the humane work
that has been done at Gettysburg:
THE SANITARY COMMISSION AT GETTYSBURG.
H So much has been said and written
about the relief administered to the wound
ed on the battlefield at Gettysburg by
means of various associations and indi-
viduals, that it may be matter Of inter-
est, especially to those who have contrib
uted 10 the funds of the Sanitary Commits
sion, to hear some account os the specific
work in which it was engaged on that oc-
casion. The Commission had its usual
number Of agents and a considerable sup
ply Of stores with the army during the
| battle. The Chief Inspector was at the
time Of the engagement at Frederick, but
IS soon as the news reached him, he set
out for Gettysburg with a number Of wsg-
ons loaded with supplies. He was unfor-
tunately captured by Lees retreating
army on Saturday, and the stores of
course appropriated by the rebels. By dint
of great exertion, another agent reached
the field from Westminster on Sunday
morning at o'clock, and reported at once
to the Surgeon, End Army Corps Hospital,
which contained at that time nearly 3,OOO
wounded. He was welcomed with the
most HEARTH gratitude, his stores imme-
diately made available, and the surgeon
thanked God that in his EXTREMIST need
the Sanitary Commission had first come to
the rescue, as usual of his dying patients.
Supplies soon began to arrive in very
large quantities, and no one could visit
any Of the hospitals without finding m the
surgeons tent, and in the actual use Of
wounded, some of the articles which are
supplied by the Commissions After rail
road communication was re-establshed
between Baltimore and Gettysburg, sup
plies arrived daily by the carload; and
large store house was taken in the town,
which was filled every morning by the
contributions thus received, and the larger
portion Of which were distributed TO the
various hospitals in the neighbOrhood be-
fore night. Besides the ordinary army
wagons and ambulsuces used in the trans
portation Of these articles to the hospitals
(some Of which we're several miles distant, }
the Commission had in this service three
wagons and teams owned by itself. The
supplies of all kinds issued from the depot
Of the Commission were at least twenty
times greater than those provided from
any other quarter except the Government.
The result was, that the hospitals were
never so we'll supplied Immediately after
q battle, although the medical department
ofthe army was obliged to prepare for
another battle then thought imminent on
the banks of the Potomac.
After a few days the supplies Of clothing
bedding, SC, were ample, and delicacies oi
all kinds, lemons, oranges, and ice, began
! to arrive in abundance. In addition to the
usual supplies, an Arctic Car" as 1t Is
called, that's, a car fitted upas an ice-house
was daily dispatched from Philadelphia
] containing large quantities of fresh meat
vegetables, eggs, butter, sc. The Commits
sion also established at Hanover junction
! a refreshment saloon, on q modest scale
r intended to feed the poor wounded soldiers
as they passed that point in the cars OF
their way to Baltimore; sometimes to tR'
1 number Of q thousand day. Fortunately
q /
, most any one who was willing to work
e could do good without fear that his yea
might lead him TO do injury to the soldier
e There did not seem TO be sick man in tn
hospitals they were all wounded, and an!
sort of refreshment that was offered Z
e them was peculiarly grateful and not inju
a rious. The most liberal system of distri
button was adopted at the Commission De
: Dot in Gettysburg. Not only were the con
q slant reouisitions Of the surgeons filled
but articles for the use Of the hospitals wer
s literally supplied to any respectable per
8 son who applied for them with that object
One Of the most curious and characteristic
s sights at the depot, was to observe rebe
3 surgeons and chaplains making spplica
ton for articles necessary for the relief Q
:, their own men. No one was turned away
g rebel or friend, all were recognized only a
common sufferers, and the common Chris
l. tian law of love was the only rule recog
g nized in accomplishing this ministry O
mercy" ~
The following is letter from the Agen
: of the Christian Commission TO Dr. J.
= Newberry, Western Secretary of the Unite
States Sanitary Commission
= US. CHRISTIAN COMMISSION, I
BRAECH OFFICE,
d NASHVILLE, Tenn, July z3d, 1868.
DR.. j. g. NeOJeTry, Secretary Western d.
Is Partment Ueitad States Sanitary Conlmi'
l. sion.
MI DEAR SIR-I desire on behalf Of tn
N Christian Commission to render gratefr
N Acknowledgements for the uniform generou
and cordial cooperation of yourself an