The Soldiers' journal. (Rendezvous of Distribution, Va.) 1864-1865, 1864-02-24


the surgeon of the soldiers regiment, or to one
of the branch offices at Louisville or Philadel-
phia. The method and detail with which this is
done challenge our admiration, as indicating the
care taken to secure the most certain informal
bion. For instance, letter is received from Mrs.
Jones, lady in New York city, who has not
heard from her son Samuel, a private of the 200th
N. Y. Vols, Go. b, in five months. She feels an
intense anxiety. She has heard of the Sanitary
Commission, and writes, despondently, for i'm
formation. The soldiers name does not appear
on the books. The chief clerk writes to the sur
geon of the regiment. In book entitled APP
plicatons,' he makes the following entry: First.
the date of application next, the name of the
soldier inquired for, thus-Jones, Samuel, 200th
NJ Y. Vols, Co. B.; next, the number of the APP
plication, say 2,4O0; next, the applicant, Mrs.
Jane Jones' ga street, New York next,
thus-wrote surgeon of regiment such q date;
then Mrs. Jones letter of application is endorsed
go ,400,' and carefully filed away. Then the
clerk takes blank form, the printed and writ
ten matter of which will read substantially as
follows: " Information is earnestly desired re-
garding Samuel Jones, of the 2O0th n. Y. Vols,
Co. B. When last heard FROM he was with his
regiment at New Orleans, La, which five
months since His mother has great anxiety
about him. Please reply upon this sheet at your
earliest convenience" The sheet is registered at
the top ''2, 400' and addressed to the surgeon of
the 200th N. Y. Vols. A stamped envelope adj
dressed to the hospital directory is enclosed. In
the course of few weeks there arrives one day,
among number of letters, sheet headed
"2,4O0' 1t is the same the clerk sent to the.
surgeon of the 200th. The surgeon has written,
" Samuel Jones, of Co. b., 2OOth New York vol
nnteers, of which regiment am surgeon in
charge, was taken sick about four months since,
and sent to Barracks Hospital New Orleans,
and only last week returned to duty, and is now
with his regiment. Not getting letters from
home he has neglected to write, but agrees to do
so right away" The clerk seeks out application
No. 2, AGO. that was so carefully laid away, and
puts with it it's duplicate number, the answer,
and writes the welcome news to Mrs. Jane Jones.
He then endorses the application answered at
such date, turns to No. q 400 in the application
book, and in a blank space for the purpose writes
the date and abstract of his reply to Mrs. Jones.
When we say, in addition to this, that the letter
to Mrs. Jones is written in copying ink, and af-
forwards copied into book, the reader will see
the vast amount of care and labor bestowed upon
this important branch of the Hospital Directory.
We have merely supposed a case, but it is in
tended as easily understood illustration of the
manner in which every letter of that class is at
tended to. 1t is true that sad news is received
sometimes, which it is not pleasant to communi-
cate directly to the anxious relatives but we.
feel convinced from the manifest interest in this
department, that sorrowful tidings would be as
gently impaired as possible, and with a sympa-
thetic heart for the mourning mother, or.brother,
or sister, to whom the letter might be written
When the surgeon writes with startling breyi-
sy: {" John, of whom you inquire, was killed
,lru ftapxSy orrS