The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-07-15
From the Legislative Record.
CONDITION OF CAMP CURTIN.

/ Curtin, &C., submitted the following report,
! which was read
! Report of the committee appointed to inyesti-
I gate the condition of Camp Curtin.
! In TIE House OF REPRESENTATIVE,
Jan. %, 1864
"WHEREAs, 1t has come to the knowledge of
members of this House that the accommoda-
! tions of Camp Curtin. for the reception of the
soldiers now returning from the field, are in
sufficient and of nature calculated to produce
discomfort to and generate disease among the
troops; therefore,
ReS0{red, That a committee of three members
OF this House be appointed to inquire into the
accommodations of Camp Curtin, and to ascer-
tain what arrangements have been made by the
Executive Department for the reception and ac-
commodation OF the troops returning from the
seat of war, and to report the result of their
/ inquiries to the House at as early day as pos
sible
/ The resolution was adopted, yeas eighty-six, !,
nays none
/ Extract from the Journal of the House Of
Representatives. A. w. BENEDICT.
Clerk Of the House of Representatives.
The undersigned, appointed a committee in
pursuance of the foregoing resolution toinquire
into tue accommodations at Cam, Curtin, and
( to ascertain what arrangements have been made
4 by the Executive Department for the reception
( and accommodation Of the troops returning from
the seat of war, respectfully report that they
find the following facts:
/. The control of Camp Curtin passed cut of
the hands of the State authorities in the sum-
/ nlar of 1861, the Government, at the request
of the Federal War Department, having turn
/ ed it over to the charge Of the latter The
. Governor, by order 376aof the War Depart
/ ment, is given an advisory status so far as the
selection of points for the rendezvous of return
I ing troops is concerned and the superintendent
of the recruiting service is to consult with him
as to the place at which the camps of rend-
ezyous are to be established. He has no power
except 10 advise as to the point Of rendezvous
/ The State has no eommissary or quartermasters
/ stores
/ 2 The superintendent of the recruiting SER
vice is the officer charged with the duty OF pro-
yiding quarters and subsistence for the return
ing troops. He recognizes no orders to make
PROVISIONS Tor sucn troops without an cnaorse-
ment from the Adutant General of the State.
9. The superintendent of the recruiting SER
vice took upon himself the charge of providing
for the returning troops on the 9th of December,
! 1868. The first regiment that was furloughed
cember. 1863. During the three weeks inter-
vening between the time when the superintend-
ent Of the recruiting service took charge OF the
I onartering and subsistence of the furloughed
troops. and the arrival Of the rst returning reg
iment. that officer, in conjunction with the Gov
/ ernor. was In negotiation with certain parties
! for the purchase Of site for camp Of rendez-
vous on the west side of the Susquehanna. But
the effort to obtain it failing the returning troops
were Guartered in Camp Curtin. This camp
contained but one small barrack, with only suf-
ficient eanacity for the quartering of from sew
euty to one hundred men. The superintendent
of the recruiting service testifes that he was not
urged by any one officially to make more efficient
preparations for the comfort of the returning
troops than he was engaged in making nor was
his attention specially called 10 the subject.
/ 4. The condition of Camp Curtin at the time
! of the arrival Of the Seventh Pennsylvania cav
airy, according to the testimony elected in regard
to it, was very uncomfortable and unhealthy.
Owing to the porousness of the soil, the inefi-
cheney of the policing, and the imperfect drain
age, tie ground on which the camp is situated
has absorbed much of the offal and filth depos-
tied there during the past three years. Lieut..
! F. w Liedtke, Acting Adlutant TO the Super
intendent of the Recruiting Service, testifies
! that sthe policing of the camp is bad. The
force at the disposal Of the camp commandant
is not sufficient to keep 1T clean and In good con-
dition Camp Curtin was condemned by the
I United States mill tary authorities in 1868, be-
cause the barracks were filthy and unhealthy.
Col Sipes. of the Seventh Pennsy lvania caval-
/ ry, also testifes that he does not consider
Camp Curtin fit place to quarter troops, be-
cause the ground has been continually occupied
as a camp for nearly three years. The soil is
of such nature as to absorb very great deal
of the filth and offai connected with the best
policed camp, and in consequence, such place
of rendezvous must be injurious to the health
of the troops, particularly raw recruits" The
Seventh PENNSYLVANIA cavalry arrived in thls
city, on their return from the seat of war, on
the 2Sth of January, 1864, one month after the
duartering of the first returned regiment in Camp
Curtin 1t appears, from the testimony OF Col
Sipes that upon the arrival of the regiment 1t was
marched to Camp Curtin by Lieutenant Colone
Seibert who was then in command. On reach
ing Camp Curtin, Col. Sebert ''found no tent:
there at all, and noaccommodations provided tol
them" Hemarched the regiment back TO the city
1 and on the return march met the wagons going
i to camp with the tents. This was after DARK
On the arrival of Col Sipes, quarters were OBJ
tained for portion Of the regiment at the SOL
diers' Rest and others were lodged In and a
tround the capitol buildings. That portion o
the regiment quartercd at she Soldiers Rest,
was afterwards driven out of that place by al
armed guard This seems to have been ewing
| to n misunderstanding among the United States
military officers having the matter IN charge
/ rs te whether the Soldiers Rest" was INTENDED
BY the War Department as pisee for the guar