Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-10-15

system of granting furloughs had been ex-
tensively practiced, until the war ~
partment, finding by experience that large
numbers of the men thus INDUCED dld not
return 10 the service, and that the army
was being depleted at a rapid ana aiarh.
lnS ~ a",,,;nn,nr the practice. The
authorities at Washington therefore de-
cGned 10 allow our disabled men TO DO
sent TO Vermont on furlough, but eS-
pressed willingness to fill the hospitals
then in the state-keepmg the hoSp'tais
and men, however, strictly under tue con-
troll Of the government and subject 10 the :
army rules.
Alter considering the matter IN us Vari-
Gus bearings, | came to the conclusion
that the best thing practicable TO be done
for the benefit of our sick and wounded
soldiers was to arrange for their transfer
10 hosnitals in Vermont, There were then
two hospitals in the state, one AT burning
Ton. superior edi6ce, capable OF accom-
modatine about one hundred men, and one
at Brattleboro, of about equal calacity.
But these accommodations were not sum
Gent for the treatment OF all our soldiers
who would be proper subjects for transfer
10 the state. An effort was therefore
made TO induce the authorities at Wash
ington to order the enlargement OF these
two hospitals to the requisite capacity
! Int this was declined on the ground that
the government had already incurred the
expense of providing, nearer the seat of
| al basntta1 nd t1OnS
which the army required.
1t was then proposed to the Secretary
| of War, that, with his permission, and as
| the cheapest available means to the state
for increasing its hospital accommoda-
tons, the state authorities would connect
n sufficient number of the government bar
rack buildings at Bratteboro, with the
United States hospital already there, to
make the establishment as whole, large
enough for the treatment of from four
hundred to five hundred men, and hit the
buildings up suitably for hospital pur-
poses, at the expense of the state, provided
the authorities at Washington would or
der the transfer of the sick and wounded
Vermont soldiers to the state, for further
bospital treatment adding the remark
,, that it was thought that the change to our
. pure mountain air and water would alone
contribute to the cure of enough more oil
= our men, and the restoration of all durable
cases enough sooner to the service, than
could be accomplished in more southern
ATTITUDES, to warrant the government IN
the expense of transporting them to and
from the state. To this proposition The
: Secretary of War assented, with the shp
. ulations, however, that the hospitals anc
: men must be strictly under the contro
J and management of the government, ant
: subject to the rules of the army that on
u Nv such soldiers as had already bee'
!. placed in general hospitals should be ia
y ken: that commissioners OF the stat
} might visit the United States general hos
- pitals, sto find our men and report them
~ the Surgeon General, who would thereul
on order the transfer of all thus reporte
n who were judged to be proper cases TO
an sent to the state for further treatment
on but that men SO far attached to their con
lis mands in the field, as not yet to hay
ly been sent to general hospitals, must n
u- be taken, as the requirements of the Sc
ort vice would not permit the interference
state agents with the army IN the held.
act The Quartermaster General of the sta
ng was directed to make these enlargemer
or and improvements, and pay the exper
ed thereof out Of the funds that had accru
IKE to the state in his department, from
md subsisting Of troops while in regimen
rendezvous in the state last year. ]
nti- buildings were accordingly removed
ent the hospital, and fitted up in cheap,
the neat and comfortable style, at an
en- pense Of about seven thousand dollars,
we'd details of which may be found in the
62, nual Report of the Quartermaster Genel
full to which report reference IS respectful
'aia made.
liie The ladies of Vermont very promI
.s's and literally supplied the hospital on
osc for the additional wards thus provided
o. Hon. d. L. Lyman and Mr. T. +. I
,a'' brook were appointed commissioners
VI ~, visit the various q. s. general hosp
o ~ in and near Washington, in Virginia,
.ne ryIand, Pennsylvania and New York,
pu' look ND Vermont soldiers therein, rel
them at the Surgeon Generals office
ian Washington, and procure their trans
sau with the previous understanding that
se1- men thus reported would be transfer
= !, :, excepting only such as, IN the opinion
- 80 = the Surgeons in charge of these hosplt
ii0io could not bear the journey to Verm
and such as would get wei in two
ac1 three weeks remaining where they W
- ,hG About one thousand sick and woun
3, : soldiers, scattered through a large n
ON nv. Der of hospitals, have thus been tr
.no ferred to Vermont, to enjoy the benefit
,po,s the change to our mountain climate
" their native air, Of the best medical II
ment, and of being near, and visited
Az relatives and friends.
Nov, The expenses Of transportation
sets borne by the general government.
the expenses and services Of the Commls
upon ers, up to the present time, amour
Uni about three thousand dollars, or a
three dollars per man Of the men t
~. ferred. No i'll effects have resulted t
on soldiers in their transit to the state.
rnisn II ;s Incoming a settled opjnion al