Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-12-22
MADISON, Dec. Z, 1864.

three were convalescent and not in the build
ing at the time-did not see them. One,
James Il. Holt, was sick in bed-said he was
well cared for
At the general hospital at Evansville, Ind,
under charge of DR.. Jeancon, there was but
one soldier from Wisconsin; he had been
flrloughed home and had not returned.
At Louisville, KY, are several hospitals.
The Clay general hospital, in whicfthere are
seven patients from our State, the Critten-
den general hospital was then under charge
of DR.. Marsh, who has since been succeeded
by Samuel Gordon, NJ. D.. of Marathon coun-
ty. Albert Fl. Hoy, M. D., of Racine, is as
sistant. 1t has seven Wisconsin PATIENTS
This hospital has lately been removed from
it's old location, corner of 9th street and
Broadway, where it was branch "a" of Clay
hospital, to new buildings corner of 18th
street a ID Broadway. The new structure is
upon the army regulation plan, with the
modern improvements-all very nice and
good. The Foundry general hospital, A. B.
Prescott, NJ. D., surgeon in charge, has seven
patients from Wisconsin. The Brown gener-
al hospital, B. D. Fryer, NJ. D., surgeon in
charge, with eighteen Wisconsin patients,
and the Empire hospital, lately under charge
of DR.. Gordn, which last your agent did not
visit
At Jacksonville, Ind, is the Joe Holt Gen
eraI Hospital under charge of FL. P. Stearns,
Nj. D. Here are IS Wisconsin soldiers. Here
also is Jefferson General Hospital under the
charge of NJ. Goldsmith, M. D., where are
1879 Wisconsin inmates. This hospital is on
a very large scale, the largest visited except
one at Madison, Ind. The corridor is cir
Gle of more than 900 feet in diameter, and
the different ward buildings diverge from the
circumference Of this circle. A chapel is in
process of erection, $50 feet long, and Is
feet in extreme width. A steam engine is in
use by which they saw their wood, grind
coffee, cut cabbage, beside other uses. Gen
eral Hospital No. Is at JetfersonVille has
seven Wisconsin inmates under charge of j.
Gardner, NJ. D.
At New Albany, Ind, is General Hospital
No. 4, under charge of S. j. Alexander, N.
D., 9 Wisconsin inmates; also General Hos
pital No 6, under charge Of E. S. Croser,
NJ. D., which has 25 Wisconsin inmates On
the day previous 400 had been received,
transferred from Nashville, without any pre-
vious notice being given; consequently they
were in a state of some confusion, which
would naturally subside after a sufficient time
At Hospital No. s, A. S. Green, NJ. D., Sur
geon in charge, there were Wisconsin in
mates.
On the General Floating Hospital ohio, ly-
ing in the stream at New Albany, under
charge of j. A OctaloDg, NJ. D., there were
sixteen patients from Wisconsin Regiments.
At Madison, Indiana, General Hospital I'M
der charge Of 6. Grant, III. D., there was
only one patient from Wisconsin that needed
any particular care Two others were there,
| detailed, and on duty in the wards, content
| ed and happy. There has been six transfer
| red from this hospital to Madison, Wis, a
| few days before. This is the largest hospi-
| tai which your agent visited-has 80 wards
with a capacity for 2 500 inmates-has a
| pleasant healthy location.
There are three General Hospitals at Gin
cinnati, Ohio, in one OF which, the "West
| End" found none from Wisconsin; at the
| Washington Park Hospital but one, and at
the Marine Hospital but one, and he of the
| V. R. c., detailed.
At the two Hospitals at Covington, KY, l
| found by personal examination there were
| none, and by examination Of the records of
| the Medical Director at Cincinnati that
there were none at Camp Dennison, or at Gal
| lipolis, and but two at Indianapolis, therefore
| your agent deemed it ineXpedient to proceed
| any further at this time, towards Pittsburg,
his ultimate destination in his letter of in
| structions.
In my Intercourse with the officers and
men of the Hospitals, l have experienced
nothing but kindness; they have manifested
a willingness to grant NE every facility for
making my examinations as fully as / could
wish and have time to do, and feel myself
under obligations to them for their acts of
| kindness and to agents of other States with
| whom l have come in contact. | also am
happy to ind as I have by this examination,
that the Hospitals generally are in good con-
| j -. H. Al I IL 4
| officers, nurses, and attendants, as far as |
| could learn, kind and attentive to the wants
| of the inmates and of the $50 Wisconsin
| patients the most of whom l have seen and
conversed with personally, taken by the
hand, spoken a kind and encouraging word,
| questioned them particularly and singly,
care you well cared for 2" dis there any
thing you need for your comfort you do not
| get?" and other like questions, L have
| heard complaints rom not more than twelve.
| 1t is more to be desired than expected that
every want should be supplied at all
times and every time 1t is not possible
| to be done under the most favorable cIrcum-
| stances; therefore | am forced to conclude
that, as a general thing, everything Is done
| in hospitals that good soldier will expect
| In some instances Ia few some wanted ar
| tieles of clothing found they could be sup
piled By the Department, and so ADVISED
| them. Others wanted Sanitary supplies par
| ticularly tobacco; these either supplied them
directly myself or prepared the way for them
to Get them from the Sanitary rooms. There |
we're but few of the whole number from Wis
consin that were severely sick or dangerous
" wounded-two only seemed to be very !
near the end of life.
Our soldiers were all delighted to see a
man from Wisconsin, especially one who had |
been sent by the Executive of the State to |
look after them, thus showing that they were
not forgotten and itwa really pleasure to
see their eountenanees brighten up when
they heard it announced that Wisconsin
Agent was in the room, and to see them clus-
ter around eagerly listening and inquiring.
The largest proportion Of those found de-
sired a transfer to the hospital in this State,
to be near their friends and in more congo
NAL atmosphere, and your Agent lgratifed
them by doing all he could in the matter,
which was to make application for them to
the Medical Director OF the District
Respectfully submitted,
D. r. SPooNER, 81
Wis. State Agent.
Capt Semmes' arrival at Matamoras, en-