The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-01-17

thrown away. They lay down again unit
their meals are ready-they are always u
1T meal times-tbey gulph down hall
cooked and half-mastigated food enough
to feed two or three hardy, robust men
After eating, they again 60 to their tent
and doze away until the next meal il
ready, when another similar potion il
taken In; and SO on, from day to, unit
diarrhea, fever, or some other disease
SEXES them. and they become really ano
dangerously sick, and proper subjects fol
the hospitals
This may look to many kind parents at
nome as pretty severe statement; but
tell you that the observation of every man
who has given the least attention to thi,
subject will testify that four-fifths of those
who inhabit those hospitals are of the class
above described, and that nine tenths of
the army is the result of pure, unmitti.
gated carelessness. Over-eating, Iaxinass.
filth, and useless exposure are the main
progenitors Of disease in army life. The
provisions made by the Government for
the comfort Of men, are, as q general
thing, ample TO secure good health. The
subsistsne6 - Of the healthiest kind, If
properly prepared, and the iabors and
fatigues Of camp life are rarely more than
enough to supply necessary amount OF
healthfui exercise No men ever become
sick from the hardships or fatigues of a
soldier $ life. Marching or entrenching is
considered, by all, the hardest part of the
service, except while engaged in battle
and it il notorious fact, we'll known by
every man who has ever spent a month In
campaigning, that an army is ALWAYS
healthiest when either entrenchine or on
the march. There are, doubtless. many
worthy men in the army who become sick
Many Instances OF that kind have come
under my owa observation But that class
OF men seldom get into these general hos
pifais. They most generally have friends
who will take care of them until they are
again able TO get along it is only that
class whose indolent habits have made
themselves obnoxious TO their messInates,
WHO swarm around post Hospitals The
convalescents here are organized into com
panies, regiments and brigades as fast as
they are able 10 leave the hospitals and
it IS fact, to which all who have had any
experience in the organization of these
corps will testify, tina. the most difficult
part OF the task Is to introduce the neces-
sary sanitary regulations in their camps.
=
session Of the remnant of the lO4th ILL., |
Rest Capt. Collins and Lieut. Fitzsim-
mon have command Of the provost guard |
Capt Aisner, Capt. Doty, and Lieut., VIM |
Strawn control the Quinine and Cedar |
Cane Brigade Your humble correspond !
eat tsuperintends the Epsto,ary and Postal /
Lieut. Brush is Chief OF /
Police. Burt Bagley is grand coni,cation |
agent Tor more properly Forage Master. |
John K Conlin, general mail agent be- |
tween the Post Office and the depot ,
Lieut.. Brush, however, has been quite |
sick. at his quarters, with fever for the |
past week, and his therefore not been able /
TO attend to his department with his /
usual zeal and ability. He is, however /
rapidly, and | have no doubt /;
will cheer our circles again with his |
hearty laughs and sparkling wit, in few /
days
Lieut. Snedeckcr, whom we had dicni |
jed with the office of Adjutant o: the /
Provost Guard. on account OF a weak back.
and several other weak points, has con-
ciQded to leave the army for the army /
good, {i.ot being able 10 perform the func |
lions Of his office on account of physical !
preserring a more secure and /
luiescent lite, and a featherbed, to the 4
' pomp and circumstance Of glorious war"
He resigned his commission and started .
for home last night
AdjutaEt Stevens, Capt Haslett, and |
Lieut.. Roynerson, are here IN charge of |
the surgeon. Their wounds are gradually |
healing, and | have no doubt they are
ioing as we'll as could be expected any
where. All of our wounded al HartsviIe /
Are now here and doing we'll Messrs
Walbridge aud Enos Brown have been
spending the Holidays with US, and are
making strong efforts to get their sons,
both Of whom were seriously wounded, /
either discharged or iurloughed; but their |
success, thus far, has been anything but
promising The orders against furlough
ing are exceedingly strict while General |
Rosocrans says he would sooner have half |
a man who has the courage to stand up in |
battle until he is wounded, than a regi- |
ment Of skulks and runaways He there. !
fore refuses all discharges to wounded |
men, unless they can demonstrate beyond |
: peradventure that they will never be |
able for duty again He has, however, |
ordered q board of inspection, who are |
daily discharging the convalescents $50 |
called) by the hundred, from the different |
in town.
You have. no doubt long ere this, had |
fnll particulars of the thrashing our forces
gave the guerilla chief John Morgan. on
his railroad destroying expedition, in
Kentucky.
We are still without regular mails, but |
hope soon to have regular line Of boats
on the Cumberland river, which |
has been brought up to navigable stages
by the heavy rains which have been fall |
ing for the past two dayS NJ