Litchfield enquirer., 1864-09-01
Our Army Correspondence. HEADQUARTERS. ARMY or PoToxAc. |
 Aug. 26, 1864.


 of this Army were pregnant with great events. We were ct an epoch. A brilliant page in the history of this campaign was then com meuded, and is now open. Hancock, who is the sword arm" of this giant army, with the ambitious Birney at his side, was diverting the attention and strength of the enemy to the defence of the capital the rich harvests of our border States invited them to plunder.
 Warren, great in peril" wearied with a tedious seige, girded his sword upon him, and went forth to strike the fatal blow. Through woods, and swamps, and open glades, .hy camps, :. and .'bivoagc, and graves of living dead. beyond the line of forts that held our Western flank, beyond our old and long de- ssrtsd> >battle:line. he went. He placed his hand upon the thtoat of the unwary foe, and cut the arteries that fed his lifes: There he stands now, with bis firm grasp upon this gi- ant Wrong. that, mangled by defeat in all it's parts, writhes in the very agony of death.
 The end of this rebellion that has cost so many tbopsepd lives, is fixed. The curse of the great God is crushing out it's life. It's feeble pulses may beat, its little fame of life may flicker on for months, but, certain as a God of justice reigns in Heaven, it's end is death This is the brightest day in the cam paign. Hope, gratitude and stern determina- ton, fill the hearts of the whole Army. We are strong. Our natural position is good one, our defences are excellent, our troops are confident. The wounded in the late battles have every comfort and attention that we'll appointed hospital arrangements can afford. Complaints are often made of individual cases of neglect, and some may be we'll founded but every necessary comfort. and every possi ble luxury. are almost always provided.
 The generous presence of citizen nurses, with their home-like garb and uHmilitary bear ing, has::a; most cheering and salutary influence upon hospital life. It is hard for soldier. to forget the digniies of rank, and feel a familiar confidence with the Y" Major Dor Captain " who, as his official surgeon, may be never so k::..I and attentive. A man in light pants snd linen ceat, e mister somebody, with . kind voice and genial 'way," is god-send. He sits down by my .Bed-he always looks like some one whom know at home he speaks it ia my " heart's own country music ;" his very presence is panacea; know him, l con6de in him, love him. Is he from the same State as I? We clasp hands. The sur- geon is from the same State, too, perhaps, and good man, and an old friend :; but the citizen stranger gets ''the inside track" to confidence in minute. He is the perseni6cation of, all the distant loved ones-he has my mothers eyes, my fathers kind.mouth the whole fami' ly circles hts in his smiles.
 Every; State should have delegation of their best men. to lend money and assistance and smiles to it's brave soldiers upon the battle field and hospitals. The soldiers themselves would willingly defray the expense of swo'o three State agents in this army-men ot hon. esty and patriotism-to whom they could lock for assistance, and their driends at home for information. >'
 have long intended to write paragraph upon the work of that most efficient and chris. tan institution, the U. s. Christian Commis- siosa I am sure the people at the North are not enlightened as to the magnitude and char acter of it's operations.
 As it's name signifies, it has an unequivocaA moral character-every one Of its members are expected to belong to some recognized chris tiau church. The colporteur and missionary work that i. does in the army is immense:
 But Its generous and well-regulated dissr'- button of army and hospital supplies, it's promptness to meet every contingency, the ef- fciency and self-devotion of it's delegates as practical nurses-thsse are what every day sur prises me. It has few peculiar features that every one should understand among which are its ''reliance upon unpaid delegates" and "personal. distribution with personal ministra- tion." All its agents, with uery few excep- tions, are unpaid volunteers-true, patriouc christian men, who can leave their homes, il but for . shortitime, and are willing to devote themselves to the holy task of entertaining and nursing our invalid heroes.
 The distribution of reading and supplies is also made whenever practicable, by the agents themselves, accompanied with words of comfort and cheer, and offers of further assistance.
 The amount of stores that they have dis tnibuted in a. quiet, uapretepding way, is sur prising. -lsIn the ast year, 1863, at an expense of only $72, ,41O they placed in tho hands o' nearly every soldier, over ssoa0oo worth o1 reading sad supplies. At Gestysburgh alone they spent $75,Ooo: Their delegates are ia- dustrious, honest, efficient men. They can be found everywhere where suffering is seen, bless ing the sesdy with stores and prayers, and christian sympathy. They dress like practica men, they live like the soldier whom thsy serve-they act like christians
 "T'he Christian Commission " is the mos faithful steward in whose hands the generoul fr;end of soldiers can lay their offering of de