The Portland daily press., 1863-11-07
COMMUNICATIONS.
Armory Square Hospital.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 1868

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 1868.
To the Editor Of the Press:
The signs of war are manifold in Washing
ton-soldiers are on guard at the depot when
you arrive, passing constantly through every
street, singly, in squads, or in regiments, in
and about all the public buildings, at your
hotel, at the theatre, soldiers OF every arm
everywhere; military goods in every tailor's
window suffers stores in almost every block;
military agencies of the various States and Of
benevolent associations scattered here and
there throughout the town; unwonted display
of nicely ornamented swords by the jewellers
and of crutches and patent legs and arms,
without number and of every pattern, by their
neighbors the apothecarles; cmbalmersof the
dead, announcing their ghastly trade by day
with impertinent, staring sgnboards and with
flaming transparncies by night. As you
wander about the city and its suburbs, you
notice on every hand the immense parks ofarmy
wagons, the long trains continually arriving
and departing, the large corrals of mules and
horses, and above all the hospitals; and you
begin to see and feel, as you never felt in the
peaceful streets of our northern cities, the real
magnitude of the work the nstion has in hand.
There are no less than eighteen military hos
pitals in and around Washington Eighteen,
And 1t is abundantly safe TO say, that these
hospitals have at times counted more than ten
thousand patients, an army larger than the
Greek force which first proved the weakness
of the Persian Empire. Think now that
these eighteen general hospitals and still 9TH
ers, scattered all the way from Virginia TO
New York, are supplementary to the whole
system of field hospitals, and that all together
but serve the needs of one of the armies Of
the Republic-and the vast proportions Of the
war will begin to grow dimly apparent.
1t is painful to think still further what an
amount OF human suffering these eighteen hos
pitals stand for, and yet how little. compared
with the whole terrible sum. Not freely are
Gods best blessings bestowed. Yes they are
worth what they cost. The tender care Of the
Republic for her suffering children, should also
be remembered. Manned and diseased in her
service, she spares not to provide for them the
choicest medical and surgical aid, the most
faithful attendance. Few of these poor fellows
could be better cared for, even at home, few
indeed SO well as under the excellent hospital
system at last evolved from the chaos which
prevaded during the first year of the war.
Any of the Washington hospitals might serve
TO illustrate this system, but none better than
that which occupies Armory Square, in the
green belt stretching westward through the
heart OF the city from the Capitol to the Po-
tomac. Pennsylvania avenue, as everybody
knows, runs little north ofwest, from the
Capitol to the Presidents mansion. South of
the avenue and west of the Capitol park lie
ry Square, the extensive grounds of the
Smithsonian Institution, and the reservation
for the unfinished national monument. From
Seward street, which separates Armory Square
and the Smithsonian grounds, the white shaft
q of the truncated monument is nearly visible,
gllmmering away among the trees, lifting its
two hundred feet of marble 10 something more
than third of its destined height; nearer rise
the red towers of the Smithsonian Institution;
N han fha a,.ft 81
Capitol seems about to oyerhaDg the street.
The square itself is an irregular area, taking
its name from the armory which stands Oh its
southern border.
The long, white hospital buildings, like
overgrown tents, and like them pitched with
their gables to the street, instantly attract the
eye OF the passenger who comes down Seventh
street from the canal. The two smaller, de-
tached buildings, which stand first in the line,
are the lodgings of the nurses and of the
chaplain and his family. In the rear of the
chaplain's house is the chapel, now soon to be
completed. Then follow the ten wards, let
tered northward from A to II, and the central
building Of like size, between buildings and
+, which contains the general Offices Covered
passages run from ward to ward and to the
chapel. A high, wooden paling incloscs the
square. Inside, broad flower patch borders
the fence, and before the wards runs sub
stantial graveled path. Eighteen inches of
solid gravel cover what would otherwise be a
mere slough, in winter. The space between
the wards has been filled up TO the same level
with rich earth and laid out in beautiful par
terres. This work was begun last July, and
by September the badges of all the army
corps In the service were blooming here in an
embroidery of flowers. More than two hun
dred dollars were laid out, and well laid out,
for slips and plants TO stock these beds. To
many patients the gentle excitement and
pleasure of watching and sometimes tending
the green-leaved little strangers, was better
than medicine. The convalescent were almost
without exception so eager TO assist, that next
season the space in the rear Of the covered
passages between the wards, will be filled up
in the same way and turned over 10 them, to
be planted with kitchen vegetables, thus in
cluding sunshine, aud the smell of fresh
earth, and outdoor exercise, among the cur
vative agencies of the hospital.
The main entrance is in front of the central
office. 1t is here that at the special bugle-call,
the wardmasters assemble with their atten-
dants, to receive patients. A detachment of
the Invalid Corps performs guard duty for the
hospital. A sentinel, IN the sky-blue uniform
of the Corps, stands here with drawn sword.
in the gateway. He takes coguizance. how
ever, only of soldiers. Civilians he beholds
as trees walking, feeling some emotion of sur
prise or curiosity perhaps, but no disposition
to challenge them. Visitors are admitted TO
the Office at all hours of the day; to the wards
unless in exceptional cases, only after noon
Within the gate is a fountain. In the centre
of large basin is long necked goose, or a
short-necked crane, or possibly a swan. The
poor bird is in trouble, is evidently choking,
has swallowed all but about four inches of a
small water-pipe, through which all last sum-
mer rose miraculous stream. Usually some
pallld patient stood or sat near, listening
tlu IN tha .laeh - 49, faIi..