New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-01-09
THE CONDITION Avp wANTs G"
THE CGL0EEn nEFUGEEs.

sfS
stee., on Monday evening, to hear The report o.
Committee Of representatives, OF the Ne"'iV',
YEARLY meeting of Friends upon the CONDITION '",
wants of the ooloIed refugees. Mr. "h'i""' "'''
made the following statement;
A, sueo Representative Meeting held In Ne~f0'A f'n
elijah slonth. 1862. tue Committee appoi"ea - NV
sste TITO CONDITION and wants OF the 0oof'a "'"s
Az, ,ighbo,hood ofwsshrg,ou, Fort Monroe ara o'he'
,ss.. mado the following Report which WA ordered 70
b. printed for isnbutor
M. Bepjamn latham presented the io'o"ias eA'
reelingly interesting report r
pursuant TO appointment. the ConiulNec nave
~.;s;ted Washington, AlexandIia. Fort Momoe
Iianptop. Norfolk and Caney Island, and b. ve had
ful Opportunity of seeing several thonsand VI ne
refugees Of eli ages mud conoitions. we received
n,lite attention from all tie officers OF Governme
mon WHOM We called, and every jachty To accom-
pish the desired invt siigasion.
Duriug thls engagement We have met with mn'
10 interest and excite our ~ mpaihy IN pvnaii
uuiiitudes of our f,llow-men, now passing 'iruu.
psinu vicisstudes, IN their Transition from ~
Of bondage and degradation 10 ali unknown iu'u
Which though enveloped in present 1afs"c@i NJ.
filed with trial and sorrow, is yet hshiso 10y nope,
and cheered and conf rted by falh ana 'i'.A' ~ ~"
wisdom aid mercy of the Ainignty. ~, -, ,h.so
In st.,.pptinQ 10 describe the connllioh Oh '"esc
.or,s scenes of deep interest which we have WIZ
,essrd rise up before us, aud we feel unable 10 90
;ustice 20 the subject oy bIlei report. No auol
the form OF narrative NJ the more convenient h''
in order to cOndcnse it within reasonable limits,
many conversations ahu sUU1''n va '"'''N'' "
necessarily omitted.
The present shelter of the refugees IN Washing
Con j. called Camp Barker. Wevis,ed IL on the *'h
OF llJh month. 1t ecnls oi large oe4ohs s4"a'
surrounded on three sides by huts barracks, leo
other buildings, all opening within The squares and
nv high fence on the west size. Inc entrance 10
under military guard. The huts, about ioity eight
In number, are about twelve feet square, and eacn
have FROM ten 10 twelve inmates. There are also
several large tents, occupied by cd or luArm men,
and two buildings called hospitals-one for men ana
one for W omen. The reeideDcs OF the Superih'en
ent Is within the iu,losnIe.
The whole camp is under the care OF O Sni END
ent with one sssisant, and one doctor. who are ar-
pointed and pad by Government. There are also
Two matrons appointed aud paid by The Freedmen =
Association of Washing or.
The Superintendent reported Us follows: There
were 400 III camp, on The 10th OF June when he
camel Since then there have come IN 3,3JO--nak.
inV q total of $3.50. or these 80 have died. The
present. number is from 6o0 TO CO. OF whom 23l ale
children. The have found employment about
Washington in various service-exceptink abont :"
who have gone North. They generally object 10 60
there on account OF tue cold. There are 70 EEK.
all of whom have been sent In from other places,
except about 70 who have sickeued in the camp.
This place IL the general receptacle for the sick OF
about $3.50 refugees In ana around Washington.
The Supe rintendent did not report the number OF
births, but they are not equal 30 the deaths.
The Government gives employment TO all the
abe-bodied men, at wages according 10 their service,
from $I2 TO $5 ,er month"; aud oil have raiious, ex.
cept the teaiDsters ut the latter rate. There are
about I00 women, who 20 out to days work, return
iDg at night to camp They are said 10 earn fifty
cents per day.
Apart frem the crowded condition Of these people,
and their dehcien'y OF clothing, those who Were
well appeared tolerstly comfortable. The sick in
hospital were III a miserable condition. In conse-
4uenco o. necessary repairs to the mems Hospital
oil the sick were crowded In the womens hospital.
This was Ill ventilated, and dIsSustIng Ia Tie sA-
treme. Those with whom we spoke complained Of
cold but state II the sir as such that We could
not remain IL il long enough for intelligent inquiry.
Some were reported to be III Dying condition; and
nil the circumstances Of the hospital seemed to rs in
excusahIy bad. The north side Of the camp wac not
weati e. roof-soEe VI tie women RENAL Aei that
"lte rain came IN ike spring and "et Lien BEDS.
Tbs dead house contained twelve bodies, mostly
lno in an irregular heap Some Of them lay 10 their
clotnea and The bodies were iiined III various
forms. Tue appearance Of these gave rise TO the
mort unfay o!abe conclusions TO the care Ies owed
mon them during their lat bouIs. Several had
been brought in from other places, aud were care
fully wrapped in d suitable covering. lie Inter.
rn.nts were reported 10 be made by Goyefpmeut
contractor who performed the duty IT suited his
cuLVeDiebce SomeIInes as many as twenty bodies
accumulated, and remained ar long ~ week or
more.
lie ue1gEbOfDOOu Oh tUc camp was Bioboiy
drained. There were ponds of water that could ea-
sliy be removed; and IL appeared 10 be wanting IN
many Accommodations necessary TO the bealth Lnd
convenience Of its inmates Upon the whole we
though the camp sadly deficient III almost every re-
eject. The CHIEF wants were good hospital, prop
eriv warmed and ventilated and supply Of hot and
culd water, with convenieDces for washing and
bathing, go that The slck might be Kept clean ana
comfortable. Asynpsthizlng and competent doctor,
and a sufficient number OF nurses, could easily ac-
com psh thin result essary 10 the restoration
OF health. A superintendent who would enforce Of
ger and cealincss and the faithful performance 81
uuties, could remedy much existing eNl.
We went TO Alexandria on the 10th, and called on
tie acting Superintendent Of tie colored refugees
there unCer the PfovOst Maribat lie informed III
there wee, ON tie i2lh OF October. ~ refugees
al all ages ANA conditions. quaftered III - houses.
We vi.ied d comfortable number Of them. One
Lad been formerly used as a slaye-pen by trader.
Although the poor people were uDfeasoDnb ly
crowded m tie Two wings il was interesting 70 con
template tue difference between ITS present and
former uses. Then 1t lie entrance INTO the daT
ness OF hopeless bondage now the Net'ibuie o.
bOped-iOr freedom.
and 20 women and 439 children; and also, Of men
women and children in the small pOx hospital. ~
AL thtse drew raIions EXCEPT % men, % women
aud 30 G. Ildren. There were about lUU sick sdulls
oil disease other than smallpox, ana vs. many more
unatIe 10 work.
They are quarterei in small rooms, about IL feet
rquaro, ana averag, from ~ TO II persons each
1n.y we're generally associated together i'll ianii 3
nnd several ia1.ilies occasionally IN one room, We
were lUld tDat about TWO tLirds are hurried
Ali the abb. bodied zen and women 10 obliged "a
sake care OF The chiG,eu are ut work. The mel
eain about 50 per month, snd The women rom ..
49, e. D.Oil, viii TatiOns. There appears 10 DC
no pitcso record VI tdtsc leOle, except as 20 tho
r.iionl, u wEicn Ga account kept by the Connie
sa.y. Mos OF The prticuGIs 9 gigtI' from memory
We not 80 10 the houre ii Which the 10 patients