Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-02-07


GEOR0E GIBBS.
SPEECH OF DIR. BELLOWS.
Mr.. Mayor and Ladies and Gentlemen :
We are assembled here while the echoes OF
our cannon from the Rappahaunock and the
Tennessee are sounding in our ears, and tell
ing US what our worthy Mayor has. just
brought to your notice, that the number Of our
sick and wounded must be under their rava.
ges momentarily increasing. We are here to
consider their claims to more particular care,
and to consider the best method Of dealing
with so vast an interest as that Of this large
and ever.increasing number, which has al.
ready been brought before you by the Mayor.
It will bs my duty not to deal in senti-
mentalities l am not here to pronounce
rhetoric, on this occasion that speaks for it.
self, and has an advocate in every heart here
which has pleaded fur more eloquently
than ANY tongue could speak. to the affections
and sympathics Of tho women Of the country
land these women represent all the women OF
the land) here present with us-which has
deep argument in the natural humanity and
good sense Of the men OF the land, who have
already shown themselves, and proved the
strength Of their sympathies. 1t may be
safely assumed that tho people Of the country,
in the homes of the country. will do every
thing that ia necessary for the camps and hos
pitals. The question only is to know how
to do it in the most effective wayl
There is no question before tho public
about which 90 much has been said or writ
ten; and suppose there is no subject that is
less clear than that of our sick and wounded
solliers-what tho soldiers have right to.
what ought to be done. what must be done,
and what is the best method Of dealing with
tho whole subject. My position, and the cir
cumst ances which have surrounded me, have
put me in the way Of knowing much about
this matter. Yet my greatest difficulty in
talking about il will bs to know where to BE-
gin. except (whst I fear) shall find great.
er, when have entered upon the subject, to
know where to end. But l mrthodize. aud
present it to you something in the form Of q
history of the Sanitary commission. which l
have the honor to represent, and incidentally
Of the Wo,nan's Central Association Of Re.
lief which We meet here tonight and which
is branch or auxiliary Of the commission.
THE MEDICAL sRRvlcs OF THE ARMY.
w uou tuo wOE uctsuu We uuuS 40 you AuO"s
not only small national army. but Of course
We had medical department Of that army
corresponding in size to that army. 1t con.
sisted Of one hundred and fifty me,l-sur-
geons and assistant surgeons-and was com.
petent to meet all the wants Of an army
Of eighteen to twenty thousand men. You
can imagine when this army had to extend
itself to one hundred thousand men, then
two hundred and fifty thousand men, after.
wards to FIVE hundred thousand, and now
numbering nearly milliou-you can imagine
the difficulty which was encountered in find
ing people competent to perform the important
duties Of army surgeons. The medical ssr.
vice had to bU diluted by bringing into It per-
sons not acquainted with what may be called
the medico-lnilitary scisncs-persons Of much
ability and learning. and doubtless able msdi-
cal Inen-but not acquainted with the neces.
sary rules and regulations II army life. j.
... UNQUALIFIED OFFICERS. -
This difficulty was not in the least degree
confined to the medical department Of the
service. 1t extended through every other
department. We had to bring out Of tho civil
ranks Of society vast body Of men-very
many thousands had to assume the po-
sition Of leaders, instructors aud officers, but
who were without the least qualifications for
their new positions. other than the patriotic
sarnestness and zeal which filed their hearts,
and tho versatility Of tho American character.
Under These circumstances yon can conceive
Of the situation in the beginning. aud Of the
manner in which this state Of things had 70
be met. si9,t t'i5 q sis era wv
am here TO assert that our di diiiiculties have
not been % much the want Of qualifications
On the part Of those who originally filed thu
principal arms Of the service. - through their
inability TO have their regulations carried ont
and maintained BY the great body Of the off,
csrs to understand and perform their duties
was reasonably to be expected. They did
not know how to bs soldiers. For the great
business of subordination. discipline. and IN