The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-07-19

region die almost altogether Of what Is called
ague and fever, which attacks whole families
in the spring and fal seasons.
Our army Is free from this malaria now, and
is Far above the region Of swamps or marshy
ground II occupies district remarkable for
salubrity Colonel WILLIAM BYRD, one Of
the early crown proprietors Of the land, has
placed il upon record that had the first set
tiers Of Virginia placed jamestown where
City Point Is "it would have been a town
li7GOl Of nete and considerable population"
The city OF Petersburg is very healthy, and
had very little sickness when Norfolk was
being devastated with the yellow fever some
years SINCE in view Of this fact the Rebel
Government early in the war, seized all
eligible buildings about the place for hospital
purposes Next to the Valley Of Virginia
where Lynchburg and Staunton are, the land
between the Appomattox and Blackwater
rivers. above Sandy Point, is the very healthi-
est in the State. In the county of Prince
George, where the bulk Of our army is now
encamped, we find nothing but high rolling
ground, mostly under cultivation, and, con-
scquently, quite open.
Malarious fevers, or epidemic levers, are
seldom met with there; the prevailing com
plants being those arising from a dlsordered
liver-probably the most controllable Of all
diseases as a class. There Ia but one meadow
in the ncighborhood of our army, and this one
lies Just east of Blandford, and south of the
City Point Railroad. This is generally quite
dry in the summer season. as are many of the
rivulets which spring from surrounding hills
in the vicinity.
The present season has been one Of unusual
drouth, and all of these streams are now gone
until winter rains cause their fountain-heads
to burst forth again. Even the Blackwater
river is dry, we are informed by Petersburg
paper, as If this was a rare event. Yet so
small stream is the Backwater creek, run
ming just south of the present position of
General BABLow's Division four left wing),
that it is q very common thing among the
natives TO drive their horses down and find
"no water thar" This "dry spell" will not
increase sickness or acute suffering In the
army beyond causing a temporary want of
water to bathe in. If the troops are careful
they will always Gnd enough to drink in the
admirable, cool, and clear water springs Of the
region, which are to be found on every hill
side. In any event, our troops will always
find the limpid Appomattox well filled, and
the James river is as inexhaustible as is our
own noble Delaware.
/ General GRANT has contracted lie lines re-
Gently, not because he fears the Rebels, the
malaria, or the absolute want of water but for
a reason best known to himself, and one which
viii be considered good by the Rebels a month
hence. We have written all of this to quiet
the fears OF the credulous in such mat ers, and
we wish to place it on record now that il was
another general who held the Army Of
the Potomac in the swamps General GRANT
never went where they were, and we think he
never will. He has always been stckler
about the axiom that the losses in action are
small compared to those which arise from the
diseases of the camp In bad climates or sickly
regions. The Army of the Potomac has never
been in better condition than it is now, either
in health morale, discipline, food, confidence,
numbers, position, OF determination. General
GRANT proudly presents mortality lists after
actions, but his losses from camp sickness are
very small indeed. "He fights his men hard, y
says General INGALLS,, "but he takes good
care of them"
Send our men sanitary stores, reinforce
ments, reports of harmony among the North.
ern people, and strings of onions, and oul
word for it, they will never complain of thei
present position as an unhealthy one. 1t i:
not, however, profitable TO stay just here much
longer, and we are in receipt OF advices which
plainly show that our soldiers will soor
occupy even a more exalted and Ito Yankees
healthier region in a very few days-perhap
hours-after this is before our friends lie
us be of good cheer for good news is Ger
tainly in store for us.