Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-12-22
Sanitary Work In the Southwest.
soLDHRs' HONE, Vicksburg, Nov. Fl,

| DEAR SRI have the plee sure to inform
| you that the sanitary condition of our SOL
| diers in this department is daily improving
| There are several reasons for this-the air
| has been purified By frost, many of the fee
| bic couvale.cents have seen furluughed or
sent to NORTHERN hospitals, and the pernfa-
nently disabled are being discharged from
the army.
The united and untiring efforts of the San
itary and Christian Commissions have brought
| and are scattering with liberal hand, ply
steal, mental, moral and religious comforts
| among our brave mn in camp, field and hos
pital. The weary, disheartened, discouraged
soldier, without descriptive roll, money or
friends, away from his regiment, has learned
TO look up for aid to these commissions as he
does to his God for breath, and expects it as
freely. Thanks to the noble generosity of
our people, he is never disappointed, when
| his voice can reach them or any of their
agents
| We shall soon be very much in need of
wooden shirts and drawers, comforts and
| quilts. As the cold weather advances we see
! the great necessity of these articles. The
| damp atmosphere here produces deathlike
| chilliness, which demands flannel quite as
much as our piercing Northern cold some
| times | think a great deal more. l hope our
| friends at home will remember this when
| they are making up their boxes of precious
| thugs to send US. Within the past few cold
| days we have given flannel wrappings to
many weak convalescent, that must other
| wise have suffered.
! Men furloughed from the hospital where
| they have been during the summer, have
| often no means Of getting necessary clothing,
| except through the commissioners. Clothed
az in Iai, Nd
| ton, they would soon sicken again, be re-
turned to hospital, or perish going home.
These men we make comfortable, and see
what you and our Northern friends do not see,
their fearful, grateful faces, and hear their
| fervent "God bless you"
| Our regiments at Little Rock, Pine Bluff,
DuvaPs Bluff and Paducah are in much bet
| ter condition than when they went up the
| river. Large quantities of sanitary goods
heve been sent there, and had they received
| them all they would now be abundantly sup
! plid, but unfortunately the United States
| Sanitary boat DunlieM was sunk, and about
| two-thirds of her cargo was total loss, also
| barge loaded with fifteen hundred packages
| from the Western Commission, and all lost.
| Notwithstanding these disasters, many goods
have reached them, and more are being sent.
| There are agents there to distribute them.
These facts learned from Dr. Woodward, the
| Sanitary Inspector of this department.
| intended to visit Wisconsin regiments at
these different points, but DR.. Woodward
thought could do more good at this place
| and vicinity, as there was no State Agent
here. a..-
There are two Sanitary depots here, and
their obliging and gentlemanly agents enable
me to do a great deal more than | could 9th
| erwiSe.
While I believe no Wisconsin soldier has
asked aid of me in vain, and they in this vi
| entity all know where to find NE, yet the
same is true of soldiers from New York,
Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, and every and any sol
der of the United States army Our boys
in blue are alike dear to me. God bless
! them ALL No State can claim them exclu-
| sively, but they are alike the pride of every
| one. State rights " are not recognized by
sanitary agents any more than they are by
the country.
The only Wisconsin regiment at present at
Vicksburg is the I'd Wisconsin cavalry, and
they are now out on scout The surgeon
informed me that he had only ~ at sick call,
that $50 were mounted and $50 went out to
guard the pOntoon train; better report of
the regiment than we have had before in a
year The regiment is thriving under the
efficient and energetic command of Major
Dale, gentleman whom hear very highly
spoken Of
From Memphis hear very favorable re-
ports we hove but few men in hospital there.
The 4th cavalry are at Baton Rouge. We
have sent the sanitary goods recently.
Unless hear of some place on the river
| where can do more good than l can here,
| shall not leave this place at present.
Ny health is not as good as it was last win
| ter; get tired with less reason for it than I
used to-.
Have we an agent at Nashville
| Enclosed l send you a list of the goods
| which | have distributed this month These
have been issued mostly to individuals by
my own hands. In addition, I have received
two boxes nobly filed, from Shopiere and
| Clinton Junction, Wisconsin, which I have
also distributed.
Much alarm is felt at Memphis, anticipating
an attack there from rebel forces. Major
| Gen. Dana is in command here. He is hated
by cotton spectators, but l am happy to say
equally by rebel sympathizers. Some of his
recent actions and orders, | think, will at
| least stamp him loyal.
If you have any commands for me, | shall
gladly receive them.
| Yours respectfully,
G. A. P. HARVEY, State Agent.