Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-08-21
FRIDAY

up his arms, exclaiming, THANK God here
comes the Sanitary Commission. Now we shall
be able to do something" He bad exhausted
nearly all of his supplies and the brandy, beef
soup, sponges, chloroform, lint, and bandages,
which were ut once furnished him, were un-
uoublediy the me ias OF saving many lives. The
empty wagons which had gone back to
Frederick, were loaded and ready to leave there
on the 4th. Dir. Mcdonald who was acting
Chief Inspector in the field, having arranged for
the further movement of supplies by Westmins-
ter, undertook to conduct one of the wagons to
Gettysburg by Emmitsburg, the nearest route
the other was sent by the way Of Westminster
The latter got safely through to the hospitals in
the rear Of the army, the former with Dr. Nc
Donad and the Rev. Mr., Sclnlan, a relief agent,
aud the ieamster, fc into le hands of the enc
my's cavalry, and i've since been hoard of,
marching as prisone with the rebels in their
retreat. MIR. Mcdonald having been charged
with the chief responsibility the operations of
the Commission upon the battle field aud cspe-
olaliy with that Of arranging communications
aud methods Of supply, his absence, the cause
was not for some days UNDERSTOOD caused some
embaIrlss -lent Supplies having, however, been
sent to Westminster, before the close of the
battle, sehoolrhOuse centrally situated among
the corps hospitals was taken as II field depot, to
which they were Us rapidly as possible brought
by the three femulnlng wagons then on the
ground, and from which they were rapidly dis
uibued wherever needed. Eleven wagon loads
of special supplies were here distributed to the
corps hospitals and to scattering groups of
wounded found in the field, before any supplies
arrived by railroad Additional means of trans
portNton were at length procured from the
country people, of whom, also, some stores were
obtained, and n station was opened in the town
of Gettysburg. On the 9Th, the branch rRilroad
10 Gettysburg which had been broken up by the
enemy, was so far repaired as to allow train
to approach within mile OF the town. BY the
hft train which came over it after the battle.
two carloads Of most valuable goods were sent by
the Commission, aud two or more went by each
succeeding irnin for week The wounded now
hogan TO he brought from the field to the railroad
or removal to fixed hospitals elsewhere. As
hey arrived much faster than they could be
taken away they were laid on the gfoupd, ex-
pos to the rain or tue direct rays of the July
sun, without food. This having been Anticipated
and provided for by the Commissions agents in
Baltimore, on 'he SECOND day tho Commission
Ind Il complete relief station large scale in
operation, at the temporary terminus of t'le rail
road Ii consisted OF several tents and NV lings,
with kitchen and other convepiences. From
that time to the present from one to two thou
sand wounded have been fed at this station dnly,
and from one to two hundred fur i9led with beds
Mt night. With the completion of the road the
relief station was removed to town; a new and
nrger depot for the distribution OF goods was
nlO established in the town, aud additional
horses mud wagons Ia assist ~ this duty yerc
got up from Baltimore.
In The meantime, the movements of the army
and the prospects of another great battle on the
Potomac, demanded the attention of the Com
mission. six new wagons, with horses, were
procured in Baltimore and Washington, and sent
to Frederick, to which point also supplies were
forwarded by rail, and thence transferred by
wagons to Boonsboro, where house was taken
and depot established on the same day that it
was occupied by General Meade. A house for II
depot was also secured at Ilagerstown as soon
ns the enemy retired from it, Supplies were Mt
the same time sent by rail down TIE Cumberland
Valley, with wagons aad horses for their further
carriage, procured in Philadelphia