American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-10-05
CosfuUNFCATEoNs

delayed. je gaa aaua g
We will now try to redeem our prom
isc:
First, The distance from Pittsburg to
Atlanta, via Crestine, Indianapolis, Lou
isviilc, Nashville, and Chattanooga, 1919
miles. Our place of labourwas assigned
us At Kingston, Ca, 10 miles below Chat
tanooga; and % from Kcnesaw Noun
tains, which was the front s...
VIA .ss OUR WORK,
Was to feed the sick and wounded sol
dicrs passing along from the front, towards
Chattanooga and Nashville. In doing
this. the Sanitary aud Christian Commits
sions joined hands, and just labored to-
gcther. In supplying their wants, we
used milk punch, ale, coffee, ham, shirts,
quilts, bandages, &c. And when time
permitted, l would go to the hospital
about mile distant, preach, pray, read
Scripture, write letters, distribute paper,
envelopes, tract books, newspapers, &c.
suFFERINGs or SOLDIERS.
An idea may be had of this, when we
state that many hundreds, and indeed
thousands Of them, whose wounds were
dressed on the battlefield, and at the near
, est possible point were just put upon the
cars (frerght cars laid on the bare floors
and ierkcd and iolted from the front to
Chattanooga, a distance OF. from one hun
dred to one hundred and thirty miles,
often occupying two and three days and
nights; and during this passage very lit
tie relief can be afforded or provisions OBJ
tained for th6m, except what comes thro'
Sanitary and other agents stationed along
the way. Yet all this was unavoidable.
Stern necessity demanded their removal;
and very little grumbling and complains
inc was heard from this mass Of suffering
Humanity
THE SANITARY COMMISSION
Has done 4 great work in relieving sui
fering and saving the precious lives OF
many of our brave and noble soldiers.
This Commission has three trains Of cars
running from Louisville to the front.
Those cars are supplied with beds, spring
mattresses, swinging beds, &c., &c, for
the accommodation and comfort OF these
unfortunate sufferers. Each Of these
trains will take about four hundred sick
at once, and always surgeon IN attend
ancc; and wAl add to this statement the
fact, that so thronged were these trains,
and so busily was the road employed, that
during our stay we never saw but one
train of these cars, and that only once a
week. Yet it looked like civilization
when it did come, and fortunate was the
sufferer who gained berth thereon.
We are aware that some suppose that
their money aud goods are squandered
coing through the hands of the agents,
surgeons, &c; and 'tis true that some
times the agents are unfortunate in the
selection of their men; but from our OBJ
scryatlon we conclude that not more than
one dollar of every ton is spent in pay
ing, feeding and transportation, with what
may be improperly squandorcd or wasted,
and We think this is not extrayagant. The
sanitary confines its labors to the tempo
raj wants of the sufferers, and we are fully
satisged that the general superintendonts
strive to make the Commission reach the
object designed in its formation.
THE CHRISTIAN COMMISSION.
It's benefits, advantages and comforts
to the soldier, sick and wounded or well,
cannot be overestimated, 1t reaches all
his sanitary wants, except providing
trains for transportation, and eomprehends
especially his spiritual wants sends him
the living, warm hearted minister of
Christ to comfort ana'eheer him and point
him to the 'Lamb of God )" to write
letters, supply with paper, envelopes, &c,
when needed to distribute books, tracts,
papers, &c, and, in short, provide our
brave "boys" with wholesome religious
literature, the benefits of which may be
seenin society when they return from the
service, but viii never be wholly devel-
oped until eternity sheds q new light up
on the labors of time, .....
The delegate of the Christian Commits
sion finds his way into the hospital of sick
or wounded, into the prisons or dungeons
of cur own prisoners or rebels, and under
the most forbidding circumstances sows
the Gospel seed.
The following is copy of a letter writ
ten by deserter in prison at Chattanooga,
to his mother:
"CHATTANooGA, June 18th.
"DEAR MOTHER 1t is with pleasure
I seat myself this morning to inform you
p