Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-08-13
letter from Com missioner Holbreok
New York, Aug. Sth, 1868.

aon.oot very false impression which
mus, h. We gone ont from an anonymous
oommnr;c, ,tion published in your paper
some DAVIS az o, which did not see until
tina 4,b inst he eded, "From Gettysburg
How our wound, 'd are cared for" writ
ten from there under date of July 18th,
1868, over signature ave. mont"
| now take the first oppor., UNITY TO ans
wer the communication referee w. III
the first place, the correspondent d. Us not
seem to have any knowledge or inform. a
ton, and probably very little experience
in regard TO the subject he is writing
about, and he makes charges and insinua-
tons which have no foundation in fact.
The correspondent commences his COM
munlcation by relating what he and u few
others did for our sick and wounded in
private capacity, which NAV all have been
very creditable to them; and he then pro-
ceeds to ask, "has Vermont as State
done her duty equally well 2 and where
was her Commissioner, paid to attend to
these things ?n
beg to say in reply, "Vermont as a
State" believe has done her duty, and l
know of no other State that is doing more
or has succeeded in doing mere, practical
ly, for Its sick and wounded soldiers than
Vermont. But is it the business of any
State, 'as State" | do not refer to in
dviduals who may go to look after a
friend, as the correspondent suggests, to
take care of their sick and wounded on the
field, attending to the wounded and bury
ing the dead ? think not. This duty
belongs to others, as the surgeons, nurses,
and others regularly appointed and de-
tailed to attend to these things, and to the
Sanitary Commission and other organized
bodies, which are supported by the public
to furnish supplies and comforts for al
sick and wounded without regard TO
States. 1t is the last place, however, for a
State to act, "as State, y which if carried
out would only lead to confusion wors
confounded, and do infinite harm. At any
rate, such States as have tiled it hereto
fore have been given to understand often
enough that their services are not wanted
and their interference through agents and
Others, with soldiers in the field has not re-
suited in any material good to the soldiers.
That there is much suffering on the field
at times, is true, but much of it is una
voidable and there shond be means of
correcting all that is avodable
As to the Commissioner not beng on
the field sooner, | can assure you it was
not his fault, and he had no authority to
do anything for our soldiers on the field
when he did arrive, though he had spent
several days in Washington trying to eff
feet an arrangement for the transfer of our
sick and wounded on the field direct to
Vermont, as far as possible, but in this he
was not successful, although arrangements
were made for their beingfsent to hospi-
tails in New York and elsewhere, with
view to their being transferred after
wards to hospitals nearest home.
The object of the Commissioners visit
to Gettysburg was to ascertain how far
our men were being sent away, North, and
to see how many were likely to have to re-
main in hospitals on the field, too severely
wounded to allow of being sent away
then, with view of having them trans
ferred at the proper time. The Commits
sioner was there as soon possible, and
visited the men and took their names, con-
dition, &C., with the exception of only
about ten cases, whom visited, but it did
not happen convenient to take memo
randum of them at the time, and to save
going round again, | requested one of the
stewards whose business it was, to copy of
a list Of these few names and mail it to me
at Washington, at Wizards Hotel, where
have my letters sent. My business be-
ing then finished, and as had our wound
ed to look up at Frederick City, Balti-
more, Annapolis and other points, and re-
port on them as soon as possible to the
proper authority for transfer, left at once
to attend to my duties elsewhere
| am not employed and do not claim
to be a nurse, doctor or minister, and
could not probably have been of any par
tlcular service in either of these capacities.
My instructions do not reach to soldiers