Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-03-13
GY2 W Iowa CRY. March I'd 1859.

the hospitals, and Iowa Regiments at II .len
and Vicksburg, and that owing to climati
influences, unfayorablc surroundings, and tn
fatigue and exposure Of their recent canpaig
against Vicksburg, and Arkansas Post, an,
the confinement and exposure of the recen
expedition up White river, the sanitary con
dition Of most Of Iowa Regiments is very un
favorable. 3l -.,- - " 49,. .r -.
Besides the diseases incident to camp lif
and exposure, small pox and scurvy are pre-
vailing to a considerable extent. Many O
the causes which have led to the unfavorabl
condition OF the health Of our army still,ex
:st, and unless remedicd by the generous Of
forts Of the people Of the loyal States, mus
result in a fearful amount Of sickness ant
mortality. The almost entire absence G.
vegetable food in the army, which has result
ed in scurvy, debility and n general depreci
alton of the strength of our forces, leads me
to urge upon the Governor the great impor.
lance of so directing and controlling the san.
itary resources Of the State as to supply gu,
suffering soldiers with vegetables, stimulants
and antiscorbutics. g,afrl - ~ ea-...
The hospitals at Helena and vicksburg, al.
though greatly improved in their condition,
are almost entirely destitute of suitable nour
ishing food for the sick, and but for the con.
slant and untiring efforts of sanitary agents,
thelr condition would be terrible The arti.
cles most needed are potatoes, onions, sour
krout, corn meal, pickles, dried fruit, Gran.
berries, moiasscs, soda crackers, toasted rusk,
butter, eggs, condiments and stimulants.-
Cider vinegar would also be very acceptable.
Goods will be directed as you dictate, and
sent to the care Of Partridge 4 Co., st. Louis,
Mo. -. .-.. .-
The large increase in the number oe sick
in the army, imperativcly demands addition
al hospital arrangements, which must be met
1t has been founl that light cot comfortables
are much more agreeable for the use of the
sick than stiff heavy army blankets. The
high price Of cotton materials having almost
entirely cut off our supply, Ihare asked and
obtained Of the u S. Gorernn,snt ten bales
ct cotton for sanitary purposes, which am
distributing to the principal societies Of the
West, to be made into cot comfOrtables. Two
bales have been sent to the societies at Chi
cago; enough for four hundred comfortables
have been sent to each of the cities o. Cleye
land, Cincinnati and Louisville, and enough
materials to make one hundred comfortables
to the societies in each ofthe following towns ::
Dubuque, Davenport, Iowa City, Muscatine,
Burlington, keokuk, Peoria, Quincy, and
Springfield, the balance Of the cotton will be
made up in ST. Louis.
The limits Of this note will not allow me
to enter into detailed account of the condi
ton Of hospitals ard regiments, but as soon
MS possible will prepare and submit full
report.
] am very respectfully your obedient servant,
's ANNIE wITTENMYEI. Io,ca Sonitary agent.
TO TIE PEOPLE OF IOWA.
The foregoing statement from Mrs. Wit
tenmyer, State Sanitary Agent, of the condi-
ton of our regiments on the clover Mississippi,
is more than corroborated by other various
and reliable testimony, all together proving
beyond doubt, that our noble patriots and
friends, who have left their homes and all
home comforts to maintain the integrity and
stability of our government, are suffering
most terribly for those very things we are
best prepared TO supply. Fresh as our SOL
diers are from home, where they have been
accustomed to varied diet, composed largely
OF vegetables, they cannot endure the sudden
change to hard bread and bacon, day after
day, which is alone furnished them in their
present situation.
This change Of dict, coupled with all the
exposure incident to camp life so far South,
with long confinement on transports in pass
ing from point to point is reducing our army
ten fold faster than all the assaults Of the en-
einy. 20 s..
Even those, (f such there bc,) who have
no love for the cause in which those men are
enlisted, must feel for so much human sui
fcring and be ready, at least, to relieve that
for hulnanity's sake.
Therefore call, most earnestly, in the name
of humanity and patriotism, upon the whole
people Of Iowa, to come to the rescue Of our
suffering and pcrishing sons, blothers and
friends, who have given themselves to their
country's cause and are now IN such pressing
want of assistance. Mrs. Wittcnmyer emu
lnerates the supplies most needed. Let po-
tatoes, onions, butter and eggs 80 forward in
the greatest possible abundance. have just
received a letter from one of our best Sur
geons, (Dr. Shaw of the 4th Inlantry,) urg-
ing the same things, and mentioning also
horseradish. prepared in vinegar, and COM
mon plum butter as very desirable We
must try not only to relieve the sick, but to
prevent sickness, and to do this our soldiers
must have greater variety Of food. call
upon the people Of the whole State.
Let every locality see to the good work
through their own local agencies, and do it
at once. The emergency is pressing, and
does not admit OF delay. The season is now
such that vegetables may be shipped in safe
ty, and the river Is open for their transporta-
ton. q"
All packages, from any part of the State.
put ON board Of any of our lines Of public
transportation, and addressed to Mrs. An
ME Wittonmyer, care Partridge & Co., St,
Louis, No." will be sure to 60 where mos:
needed. free Of charge, or rather the Govern.
ment will pay the char gcs.
confidently appeal to the patriotism, lib.
erality and humanity Of the good people OF
Iowa, that this call be promptly and fully
met SITE sH "
s.a. n8 SAMUEL ). KIRKwoOD.
The PIRATE NASHVILLE Blow VA
Hilton Head correspondent, under date Of
March LIST. state that the pirate Nashville err
deavored to run past the blockaders. bu,
got aground. Commander Worden discov