The Portland daily press., 1864-07-25
Letter From lac surrnon Day, Maine 29th.
HEADQUARTERS 29rH MAINE RECT.
NogGANzA. La, June %, 1854.

To ths Editor Of the Press:
In your issue of june 9Th, see notice Of
he dismissal from the service OF Surgeon Jo-
siah Carr, and Lieut. Strout, of the Both
Maine, aud Lient. kingsly, and myself Of the
19ih, for mastering and pressing into the SER
vice man in each regiment, maniiesily unfit
Tor military duty. In justice to myself land
my iustidcations viii justify tie other officers
concerued,l | wish to explain the circumstan-
ees in the case. Aud first will review my
own case. While in Augusta examining re-
cruits for this regiment, a man was brought TO
ne by the enlisting officer for examination. j
Nnow the recruit personally. He was porter
at the Augusta House, where boarded, and
was a smart active young man. | examined
him thoroughly and accepted him. He ioas
aud Is as able to dQ duty as any man in this
regiment. And now few words as to the
adnifest unfftness OF this man for service.
Tears ago be had his elbow dislocated, the
lett one think. The dislocation was never
quite properly reduced, and IN consequence
ae cannot extend the arm quite straight, but
still it did not interfere with free use OF the
arm and perfect use of the musket, | salts
led myself that he could do the duty of a
sodier and | took him. Under the same cir
,umstances should do the same thing again.
Veil, this man was sent TO General Hospital
ghen we commenced the Red river exped-
ion, for disease contracted Ia the service.
There he has been ever since, and this arm
has been seized on as an excuse to report me
az Washington. The true reason of the re-
port of DR.. Carr aud myself, is simply this.
Al the battle of Cane river there was gal
laut charge made on the enemy, driving them
from their position; in thi, charge Msine
officer leading his regiment, had his leg brok-
en- by a musket ball. The leg WAS examined
by the surgeons OF the Maine regiments, aud
we all congratulated him on the fact that he
need not loose his leg. Well, he was put Oh
The boat Alexandria aud sent to New Orleans
and placed in the hospital Of DR.. Gordan, who
vas in charge OF the boat. The next day DIR
Jordan caiAd to see how he was feeling, so as
. be able to inform his friend. here, and found
that the leg had been .amputated. That he
had been put under the influence of chloroform
BY the surgeons for the purpose, as they said,
of examining the wound, and when the officer
returned to consciousness he found his leg
was of. When DR.. Gordsn came back and
reported the fact to us we were perfectly
Maine surgeons that would have been more
surprised had we awoke In the morning and
ound our own leg OF. DR.. Eugene I. Saw
yer, Of Bangor, Medical Director Of this
corps, called at the hospital to learn if posi-
bic why this operation had been performed,
BIZ. could get no satisfactory reason assigned.
With much Difficulty he succeeded in getting
permission to examine the broken bone after
it had been dissected out fromithe leg. This
examination only confirmed him in his former
opinion, and ne told them so, and the result
has been that Maine surgeons are at dis
count in New Orleans for presuming to differ
from an Assistant Surgeon in the regular
army. There ha. been disposition shown
10 do every thAag possible TO injure the repu-
tation of the 29sh and 30.h Maine regiments,
that these two regiments are filed up with
broken down men. Did the 29th act like
broken down men when they held the regi-
msut to the position at Sabine Cross Roads
under the most dsheartenlng circumstances?
Did the Both act like set OF broken down
cripples, when with Col Fessenden at their
head, they charged on the rebels at Cane Bri-
er and drove them from their position. leav
ing some fifty OF their men dead Oh the field?
1t lisa pity that We could not have few
more just such broken down regiments in
this department. 1t is true that many of our
men are now sick true that many OF them
are now broken down and will never be good
for anything again. But what is the cause?
Not because they were not able soldiers,
stout men, when they left the State OF Maine,
but because they were brought from their
Northern homes In mid winter, placed in an
almost tropical climate where malaria abound-,
rushed into the Red River expedition which
vas one OF the hardest campaigns of the
whole war. unaeclinated, unaceustomed TO
soldiers life and q soldiers raiions. Was II
to be wondered st that out OF 800 or 400 new
recruits, many should become disabled? And
yet, when these men are sent TO General Hos
pital, the regimentxl surgeons are reported to
the Secretary OF War Tor dismissal, for accept
ing men who were neuer ht for service! 10
Justification OF Lieuts. Kingsley and Strout,
the mastering officers, / wish to say a few
words.
They we're both innocent Of any attempt to
defraud the government. They were appoint
to swear in the men after they were accepted
by the surgeon; they knew nothing of the
physical condition Of the men, but relied Oh
the surgeons Judgment, and mustered such
msn as be accepted. Lieut.. Strout is dead
He died for his country, facing his country's
foes; died a. a man should be proud to die
envy not the man who, by his malignant re-
port, by this stab In the dark, has endeavored
to throw obloquy and disgrace on the name OF
brave officer
Whatever course the government may see
d. 10 take in the case of Dr. Carr, Lieut..
kingsley or myself, we all unite iu saying, re
iastate Lieut.. Strout. Never let Ii stand on
have disgraced an innocent man vino has laid
his life on his country's altar, aud who, If he
erred At all, erred uninieDtlonally.
do not doubt but that some men got into
service who should not. The large bounties
offered are an inducement for many 10 try
and get into the service who are not really nt,
and such men resort TO every means 20 de-
eeive the surgeon so as 20 pass, expecting TO
get the large bounty aud then az soon as cali
ed on to go into active service, to go to the
General Hospital, get discharge. go home
and get another bounty.
II II could be understood that such men
would not be discharged, We should not be
troubled with them.
am, sir, yours respectfully,