The Soldiers' journal. (Rendezvous of Distribution, Va.) 1864-1865, 1864-04-06
Soldiers Correspondence.
Then and Now, or the Old and New Camp.

On sunday, the Z3rd OF november, 1907, saw
Convalescent Camp, then located just back of
Alexandria, for the first time. 1 had before
heard of it /" by the hearing of the ear, but now
mine eyes beheld it in all its actualites. And
verify the half had not been told me.
From fifteen to eighteen thousand men, as
was informed lay scattered about in Gonzales
cent, Stragglers, Parol, and Recruit camps, all
included in one command. Some of these in
formed me they had been waiting for months for
a chance to get to their regiments, but had not
yet succeeded. Some actually deserted from the
camp, for the purpose of getting to the front,
among their old companions, preferring that
place, with all its dangers, to the suffering they
endured in the camp as it then was.
Men were coming in each day, by hundreds,
from Northern hospitals; men who were butjus
able to leave sick beds, and who were so pros
trated by the exposure and fatigues on the way
the camp, that they scarcely reached it before
they were subjects for hospital again. Some
times, in the depths of that cold winter q862-3,)
men arrived in camp just from hospitals with
out overcoat or blanket and were obliged to go
into tents, to sleep on the ground, without straw
to keep them from the dampness, or fire to de-
fend them from the piercing cold. Is it any won
der that when the matter to be investiga-
ted it was found that there was necessity for
transferring about a thousand men at once from
elusive of the transferring from the post hospi-
tai, connected with the camp, that had been
going on all the time.
Such suffering, in the aggregate, had never
seen before; such suffering hope never to see
again. have seen poor fellow come shivering
to sick call, without even shirt, having been
compelled to throw his own away, and being
unable to procure another. Thank God, such
incidents were rare, and were remedied as fast as
possible; but, for time, all that could be done
seemed only drop in the bucket, there YVES
50 much yet to be done. Then, too, it was
camp made up largely of sick men, who were
suffering thus not camp where the men
strong, and able to bear the privations and hard
ships of war. Sufferings far greater than these
nights have been expected on the battle fields,
but certainly not in quiet camp, and near
the Capital of the Nation.
Nor did this state of affairs continue long,
Congress assembled information laid be-
fore the representatives of the people; commit
mittees of investigation came; the country that
had so much needed the soldiers showed that she
had not forgotten the needs of the soldier;-
changes in location and changes in administra-
ton were made, and from that hour things began
to mend. Slowly but surely the work went on
until the transformation has been complete
that the past seems almostlike a dream, and one
scarcely believe that things nave been
bad as they really were Instead of being
reproach to the American people, and dread to
those passing through it, the camp has now come
TO be a pleasant resting place for the weary sol
der, and a lasting monument to the energy,
perseverance,, and executive ability of those who
have administered it's affairs and brought it to
its present condition.,