Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1863-08-20
CARE OF VERMONT SOLDIERS.

below her sister States in this matter,
Vermont far excells them all. A few
brief statements will set this subject in
its true light.
In December last the State authorities
made arrangements with the authorities
at Washington, for the enlargement of
Hospital accommodations in Vermont, and
the transfer of Vermont sick and wound
ed soldiers in U. S. General Hospi-
tails south of New England, to the
Hospitals in Vermont Under the ar
rangement, the State was to appoint
Commissioner, or Commissioners to visit
the various General Hospitals, make lists
of the Vermont soldiers therein found,
present them at Washington, and procure
the transfer to Hospitals in the State of
all thus found, excepting such as could
not bear the journey to Vermont, and such
as would get we'll in two or three weeks
where they were. A condition was made
by the authorities at Washington, that
the state Commissioners should have only
to do with such of the Vermont soldiers
as had been sent in from the field to Gen.
eral Hospitals, and that no Interference or
meddling by State Agents with soldiers in
Camp or Field Hospitals, or attached to
their commands in the field, could be per-
mitted.
Two Commissioners were appointed, with
instructions conforming with the terms of
the arrangement. The Commissioners
have not since been authorized by the
State, nor permitted by the authorities at
Washington, to exceed their original in
structions. The Commissioners commenc-
ed their duties in the latter part of De.
cember last, and during the winter and
early spring visited large number Of
General Hospitals, finding the Vermont
sick and wounded scattered along, few
here and few there, in these Hospitals,
picking up all that were proper cases for
transfer, and sending them to hospitals
within the State. Having thus hunted up
the Vermonters then in Hospital, the effort
has since been to prevent new cases from
becoming scattered through many Hospi-
tails. 1t was necessary, therefore, for the
Commissioners to have Headquarters at
Washington, so as to attend to our men as
promptly as possible, as fast as they were
sent in from the field to General Hospital.
One Commissioner has only been on SER
vice since April, because having picked up
the scattered men, it was thought that one
was sufficient But although Headquar-
ters were at Washington, it was necessary
for the Commissioners to be large por-
tion of the time on the wing, taking such
fare as chance might provide. So much
: for luxuriating at Willard's Hotel"
| Up to about the first of August, current,
$40 men had been thus picked up and
transferred to Hospitals in Vermont.
Since the first Of August, the Commis-
sioner has sent two detatchments of sick
and wounded men to Hospitals in the State
, the first one numbering l0l men, and
, the second l3l men. A third detachment
, may be expected to arrive in the course Of
week.
: Thus over one thousand sick and wound
ed soldiers have been transferred to the
Hospitals in Vermont, to enjoy the bene-
fits of change of climate and water, Of
the best of medical treatment, and of be-
ing near, and visited by their friends
Particularly in cases of chronic diarrhUa,
certain stages Of convalescence from ty-
phoid fever, enfeebled general physical
condition, gun shot wounds which heal
badly in Southern Hospitals, or near the
tide waters. this change proves highly ben
efcial--over 60 per cent, Of all the cases
in the State to be fully treated, having
been cured, aud the men restored to the
, service. 7f
This arrangement for benefting the sick
and wounded is nearly or quite peculiar
to Vermont; and it is we'll known that
several other States would at any time
like similar arrangement We wait to
hear of any other state which has done as
much, substantially, and stripped of all
r -