The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-04-29
The Veteran Reserve Corps.

1t is evident by articles which may be al
most daily seen in our papers, that the onJect
of ORGANIZING the veteran reserve corps anu
The dntiss TO v hich it is assigned, are but
little understood. Hence, are those who, be-
cause they do not understand and will not
,.La mains 70 inform themselves, who write
articles making gross misstatements, conse-
ouently doing great injustice TO- those men
whom the fortunes Of war have placed in
this corps. And if the writer's of such art-
cles understood the subject upon which they
profess to enlighten the community sufficient
ly we'll to confne themselves to facts and
the truth, the statement would never have
been made, as it has been, that the organization
was useless, a retreat for shirks, sneaks and
towards, and that those who compose 1t are
but pensioners upon the bounty of the gov
eminent, without in any degree rendering an
euuavilant for what they receive.
In making such sweeping statement the
writer's must have forgotten how many sur
geons. generals, and even departments of
the government they pronounced Incapable
of filling their position. As it is known to
all that the men who compose this organiza-
ten must pass a strict physical examination
before being transferred or discharged from
the service. Those who had been discharged
previous to the organization Of the corps.
must t,cice pass physical eramlnat'on-
one upon being discharged, and again upon
re-enlistment They must show testlmo-
malls of former honorable service. The
statement that the reserve corps IS but a
retreat for shirks and towards, implies lnettl-
cheney on the part of the medical department
of our army, and a want Of honor on the
part Of all those concerned il its government.
Are we to have so little faith in the ability
or honor of our surgeons and officers, as to
believe them incapable of deciding upon a
mans fitness for field service, or as not to be
able to tell the difference between sick maf'
and one who ShirkS his dmy' The fact
seems to be utterly ignored that large ma
jority of the men of which this corps is COM
posed are those who have been disabled by
wounds upon the battle fields, or who have
breathed the malaria of Southern prisona
until their health has been utterly DESTROYED
With any true American, who has the good
of his country at heart, these misfortunes
would excite pity instead of calling forth
vituperation. The enlistment of men into
this organization from the first amounted in
subsistence to putting so many able bodied
men into the field. They relieved from duty
those acting as clerks, wardmasters, nurses
orderlies, cook. and hospital guards; which
positions at that time were being filed BY
able bodied men. 1t will readily be seen
that man SO disabled that he could not
carry knapSacA and equipments on amarch,
might still be able to do some of these du-
ties with as great a degree of efficiency as one
able to be at the front This work is appor-
toned to the men according to their fitness
and ability. IT. fact each man of the corps
is doing the duty which we're it not for this
organization would be performed by able
bodied men.