Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-03-15

u uG Natss
house, and several private houses hafa- !
Anon. the latter. ne mention! ia: Ts7-ea::
and appurtenances 81 "'!!uG' hJf1' =!
ne:.r the courthouse.
CAMP LEE.
The following is p copy Of TIE report OF IT,
Joint Committee Of the two houses 1t the p''-
eral Assembly Ci'Virsinia, appointed 10 me
,issts the charges Of abuse and '1honi'"!
r. cynscripts .: Can!? LIE. near hi;i"""''
Va:
Tho Joint ~.r.nm;l:ne arp in,cd 80 enquire
.,J rcror, whether an:. a i il Grv. Wa:
.huses or i;h, nifty may have 5ecn prA'-
tic,I or tolerated at Camp lie III the treat
menr If cnnscripta." have performed '.'c 0",'
ASSIGNED Them. uni beg leave. respectfully u
submi, the t":i0wirE report:
R,r,r, ont :!a: uuan the lnvc3tlTaI'N r.
oui-ci by the resolution Of the "ei'F'! y
sl.rhly. your Committee deemed IL h'''n!'.S
~ o,rr;sc The Secretary Of Var u! Their ~.
rnsa AID 10 request If HIM Authority T. NJ.
C,nn Lee. in order 20 Gb:Aln ln:orr.tI1" a..
~ en.hi. tbem more thoroughly t. rfl>2 ~
their ENQUIRIES. 4" III . Application t"e >.
re.arv pramptiy AID c"ur'eoH7iy rS:''c"' k.
iny tho authority asked t1r and .Spr'-:.
the rie,surs hc Eel. al tho ~iutcr@s; man:ia's,
in the cor. e1ipss by tue General A-="mt.g :
the resolutions of enquiry winch '.ey "a.
aIontei and urd.r which ,Our E.w.mils!
we're acting. Tie letter Of Mr.. Seq u.
pe,her with his written uuthO:itg to y.r
Camp Lee accompanying it, your { mm"r:
regard Of sufficient importance ard p 10
alike 70 the subject aud the SetretA7f .. W.,
to refer to ard make u part OF tAc!F rtio.'.
and they accordingly append them. r:r,:.:
A ard g.. They think it proper - r,m.a
also in this connection, that ta>7 ':"Cnl IT.
proposed investigation OF Ii" SUI ,,. ,m.
mittcl TO them. bad been "a part ""ts'r..t
BIZ tir ae,ion Of the Sccf"::rY Of ".-, ns.y
the passage Of III" jJirt Sesolut:,n hr '':r'a-.
eral Assembly, w!!u, upon iclrnlHg tn: ran:
had obtained currency Of suffering ana BE-.
mel mt Cam? Lee TOR wan It N.~'i, g:!,r
an officer T. % out AID invrs.irr." IL" ma.
and make immediate report. ! ~ '.rHa..
Tee haze been furnished wIta a,"rr 81 tia
der. ana the reports thereon Of Col. srig',
the Commandment rf the Post. Hrd # Ii" -l.
raj otic, r. in charge OF the Irocrs Il: e..
Leo, which ere vf interest end Value : IL.
trating and ,1p!a' ning the meet ana - Fl.
s%ti,uting q part Of the evidence upoa VI.
YOUR Committee relied ina7ririn;; atiE,'r. ~.
conclusions. Thcsa LocGi4c"is arc aNlr"i
marked | aud in consecutive or'!.c.
Itwiiibc perceived thatthc c"mI' ala "!
reached the Secretary ofWa", assumed q" -
cr.i lo.ul of "euiicring i"r wat G! = j.
the enquiries dircr'ei by him vera Ga"''
20 that ~spcaitic charge and - far Il 10 ~
t~irat;on under the order .: III" Sccretay Il.
this heat ara concerted, III" reports CT 'i' rr
manlans NJ Camp Lee. and OF his subordinate, a..
GERS. seem to your committee sa:iSi ac."iy -.
fully SCOUT rhesa officers OF any neglect L: ta'
in Attending, ~ lar as practic:hle. /" H." "ar
and comforts Of the men in supp,yia:: is'ym "
fuel. Their statements. made III the :epy.''i" ig
Secretary of War, were cnTirire! 20 u. 90
the examination We male. ~ he i~".erv!c" g.
had with these officers Ii nppc.ri ii: he m
were furnished with I'll the wood allowed hy'.
army regulations. The Sill ply was s'"'"ii'h
ample in ordinary weather. but during ~ eA:rt.
" rigorous spell 1t cold. sGci rs occurred a'.a
the middle oil february. it WAS admitted IA. De
quantity of wood MIS- not adequate. Ihat h,&s
,iiscominrt vas rxre,:arrei hv some oi ~" co...
scripts Tor w'n: o.: ~sT:il.:"nt ilr" is quite pr'.n'
bat We could Hsc-r;aI" 10 Individual rHs' o. !'
Kind, and ind nothing init lie circumstance !!
ev:i!enca 10 Ii. cmiimhi;iiy np0n tbs 'ilc"!> !
charge of thu troops u, Camp Lee mucii I,ss' D.,
tain he MI g,,iou mMlcih;orsh the Pre-'oi .ah,.
mainly nld cruelty TO the ccn5,rir'S. or g.; ~
extraordinary degree Of suffer-. g resulting ~ /, .
OF limb or death, or even OF Illness from 60. .
NAV be proper here 10 slate, however. h>a'!;
developed in the course OF "ur lnvesi'sFl u"
that many cfthe newly arrived co"scG?t,i 1T
fer for the want OF clothes AMI blanhe'-. las
il not the FAINT of thu commander or hs cL,'e''.
1t results from the circumstance I'm. c,h'.'4'
recently enrolled are sometimes hn'r!c! y'sag
without an opportunity bling .tr,Idri liz. )
visit home auI provide th"u.s ives with 81
and blankets ard make oth;r p!-pa'N !',s -
camp If. but often from their o"nL'gn"tDi]
so after ample notice. II the'. be hlaW- Hn'.
where i, is attributable to tn. carr!e,.ursS JrI..
difference OF The enrolling officer III III "rU4'''
10 the wants and con forts OF The corscrir',. rr.3
defects 10 the provisions VI execution % BE 's"'
The fault les here, and not, ~ your corHI' ,
!, are assured, in the administration of ilr iIto
. Gus and responsible department, Under ;'' ~"
40. mert OF the commen1@nt, Col"nei SIZED.
! whose high char acter, III banc mgnne'S. dele ,
feelings Of humanity hnd eminent qu" Esli" .
for his post, forbid the conclusion that ice "oHi
exercise hiI authority otherwise than IL tJ'nI"l
consideratc and humane manner towar'" iat''.'
scripts under la charg., or woG'! rn-'
tice or tolerate any other tE.n a r-os.
care aud attention 10 their wants and U'>'
: lies a. far, therefore, Is your commi" coo
UllTNue lItiI ElI J. ~ W
ing rs the nature Of the case. md 'hc;r souEc'N =:
information admitted, they cou.d d,sao,rr 3
Instance Of y death, cruelty, irMim.li'v, 'fr'o'
of extreme ~suiering or hardship. Ha!Isal
there undoubtedly are, aud have been; co..
only such. aid no. more severe 'h"n are ir':,'
to camp fare. end q soldiers li:,. We "rr"i
| formed BY the surgeon, DR.. Palmer, .! q c'
where n man fell in a fit; but he waS kno"G'
be subject to tits, and they were no; pro!"r"I'
= exposure to The cold. as the surgeon be'iev .
happened during the severe weather IL 3
ruary, and probably gave origin to tie report
inhumanity ut the carp. wh Oh was 50 ~!
propaga'ed, and e1citel the scrsih.iity c; =
Gensral Assembly and the people.
Your committee did not O nsi1-r theme.
limited in their %iHquiries 10 the rumor Gf .u'ff
ing among The conscrip's fnr the walt vi W..
Their duty embraced u wider scoops. ]: va
examine whether ANY abuses or ~inhrmsui.y 90.
practical or tolerated Mt Camp Lee in tla t.
rent Of couscripts. in any way or i'll any ;rrT
The General Assembly OF Virginia hal q sp'r..
interest in the Investigation, ~ the cm,up j. ne
her capital, ard tie place Of rendezvous f@r'
conscript soldiers. Over them she WIS bru'
to exercise a parental care. Your comm
therefore, proceeded TO Camp Lee, anl. "%r
pleasure in stating, were receive ~.
politeEess and courtesy by Colonel ST..
the commaniant, snd all the officers n II" -.
Every facility aud opportunity We're III So
them for examination and enquiry INTO u" '.
dition Of the camp, and Of the wants, nec",.i'
accommodations and comforts Of the man. C.
Shields, himself, and all Of his officers. iTa.al
and with alacrity. responded to every "'q"i |
, addressed to them. touching the ms'te:, :
, which We directed our enqsiries We wer2 |
: lowed unrestricted access TO every place w.
sired to visit, and an Off accompanied ",
show us through the hospital, the barracks, - |
quarters Of the men, which we inspect = |
closely rs time and our inexperienced haj'. |
relation to such matters would enable Us. v !
g found the Hospital clean, well "provi,~i "
= comfortable beds and bed clothing. AM -
not lonbt, The patents ae a;ten!rely mr.
r and attended with skillful me!;cai tr-.'mcG' I
The large building. APP ropriated 4s the ;r'"."
quarters Of the men, We would relraIk, -.
reason Of the open floors, being Md" ':'''
plank, aid the small tre-pIsces dithcG: -