East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1863-01-13


avoid the bad habits so ruinOus to the
new soldier, aud to adopt those which
led 20 preserve his health and life
There is nothing from which the new
regiments have suffered so fatally as Il
causelcss disregard of the rules of health
as applied to camp life.
Notwithstanding tho obvious advan.
tages of enlistment in old regiments, it
has been found impossible to fill up
their ranks while new ones are raising
in the State. The superiority activity
of new officers on the ground working
for their commissions, with the ainbi.
ton of the soldier for tho non commits
stoned Offices of tho company, have
swept the great body of recruits into
the new organizations, and so it will
continue while new regiments are rails
ing. To get clear of this difficulty it is
proposed to organize no more new regi.
nents after the present are completed.
The recruiting will then be conlinet!
wholly to the regiments in the field
When this shall have occurred | antici.
pate but one remaining difficulty, and
that grows out Of the vicious but well
intended system of citizens boUnties. =
AS soon as the draft is over no doubt
those bounties will entirely cease. They
have been the cause of endless trouble.
! Beng Of various amounts in different
localities, those seeking to enlist have
been induced to offer themselves wher-
ever the highest bounty was ofleLed.-
The result has been very injurious
bidding between different places, and
very much higher bountics have been
paid than reason would dictate. APP.
peaIs have been constantly made to the
cupldity instead ofpatriotsm of the cit
izen to enlist, to that extent degrading
the service. In consequence some have
enlisted merely to obtain the bountics,
and have then deserted disgracelully.
] he evil has grown not out of the fact
that bounty is offered, but out Of the
want Of uniformity in amonnt. When
the citizens bounties cease | think wo
must have substitute for them, or the
cnlistments will also cease. What shall
that substitute be / can think Of no.
thing but Uniform State bounty, mod.
crate in amount, to be paid only to
those who enlist in the regiments and
batteries now organized and organizing,
on their being mustered into the service
OF the Uuitcd States. The amount of
the bounty / think should be fifty dol
lars, and it might be paid from the war
loan of which their remains balance
uncxpended, Of near 100000. Per
haps it would be well to give discre
ton to increase that loan by two hun
drcd and fifty thousand dollars, in case
the money should be reqnire1, which |
do not anticipate. If this plan should
be adopted there is no reason to doubt
that tho Michigan regiments can be
kept in efficient force.
One of the principal sources of en-
enlargement to enlistments is the law
for the relief Of the families of the VOL.
untecrs, when in destitute circumstan
ces. In the main Che law is well ad.
miristercd and is productive Of grea.
good. In a few localities, however,
there are hard, unsympathizing supervi.
sors, who exercise their discretion, not
only without humanity, but with posi-
tive cruelty, if my Information is DOR
rect do not know as it is possible to
remedy ills. A discretion must be
left somewhere, and any change might
result in an increase Of the evil. rec.
ommcnd You to consider whether an
appeal might not be allowed from the
supervisor to some county officer, in
such cases, with authority to review his
action and thus increase the probab!li.
ties of justice being done.
Such an appeal may now be made TO
the board of supervisors, but it is an
inconvenieDt tribunal To reach, consist
ing of considerable number and as
sembling but seldom.
The duty of the State TO its soldiers
docs not cease with their enlistment. =
1t should follow them to the field aud
the hospital, and make its active sym
patty and aid manifest in all their trials !
and su9crings. The Government of
the United States docs all it can. 1t
furnishes abundant supplies of every
kind, and, to the soldier in health, all
that is necessary. 1t furnishes good
and sufficient hospitals for the sick and
wounded. and nurses and attendants in
number enough; but it cannot make
sure that they will all 10 their duty
kindly and we'll. 1t is in the hospital
that the soldier needs sympathy and
help. Hc who is bravest in the active
duties of the field, grows child when
languishing of disease in the hospital
Far away from friends, the tedious
hours drag heavily, and he signs for
home and the attendance he was accus
toned to there lie is one of a thou
sand, and the physician comes on his
hurried round once day, looks sharply
at him, makes hurried prescription,
aud passes on. So it goes on for
weeks, and perhaps months. The ply
stefan ceases even to call, and says tru
ly he can do nothing for him--the nur
ses neglect him and he steadily declines.
1t is not medicine he wants. Send him
home, and the bracing air Of his native
CLINE, and the cheerful voices of sym
pathizing friends, will restore him to
manhood again like magic. Leave him
there in that hospital and he will die.
That he knows well himself. He
| A. II