The Portland daily press., 1864-11-03
Vegetables fer the Army.->Explanatiou.

Itsmay appear to be unusual and unneces-
sary 70 ask aid for a particular regiment
when we number more than thirty regiments
from our own State, and when so much Is he.
ing done for tina general relief and comfort of
our army by the Christian and Sanitary Com
missions. gyryegHFsr~r
In explanation allow me to say, the Second
Maine Cavalry is the only Maine regiment
now IN the Department Of the Gull. All fbe
others being in the army Of the Potomac and
more easily communicated with than wa can
be in Western Florida, one of the most ro,,t.
of-the-way and inaccessible districts occu.
pied by our troops. Our regiment. also
has been, and is still suffering greatly from
disease Living almost entirely upon salt
provisions, exposure to the excessive heat Of
Southern Louisiana, in zone of the most ma
larious and unhealthy portions Of our conn
try. drinking impure water and sleeping upon
the wet ground, has brought on fevers. diar-
rhea, scurvy and other diseases which has
terminated in the death Of. nearly two him.
Edred, and the prostration and disability of
about fifty per cent Of all the other members
OF the regiment We have had more than $50
cases Of Scuroy,a disorder, the loathsome
and fearful character of which, when compli-
Gated with other disorders, as it is In our reeis
ment, but few of our citizens understand
Some Of its symptoms are, great weakness
and general debility, depression Of spirits,
pain and swelling in the limbs. breaking out
in livid spots and putrid sores, spongy, bleed
ing gums and loose teeth and fetid, putrescent
breath; indeed the entire ward rooms where
it prevails are so offensive that it is loathe-
, some to enter them. One poor man died but
a few days before I left our regiment, whose
whole system Of flesh, and bones and blood
were rotted with it, had seven of his teeth
drop from his jaws into his mouth; and when
the cases are not of so distressing character
as this, it almost invariably affects the teeth,
so that hard bread and salt meat cannot be
eaten in sufficient quantities to satisfy hung
Medicines will not reach and remoye this
disease; a supply of fresh vegetables alone
can do ii. ~ 70 e'ss& 9a2B ess ssa@AR
"a am sure that the simple statement of these
facts, as to our condition and wants is all that
/ is necessary to secure a full and prompt sup.
ply of the needed comforts, without at
tempting formal appeal for aid To the
people, would say, you need not be afraid q
forwarding too large supply. 1t you send
more than Is necessary for the Second Maine
Cavalry, nothing shall be wasted, nothing
lost. Our excellent Governor Cony-THE
SoLDIER's FRIEND-has assured me free
Transportation shall be furnished us from
Portland to Pensacola. go in person with
the supplies and will spare no labor or pains
to see them well taken. care of and faithfully
distributed among the sick and needy soldiers
according to the wishes of the donors, either
to private individuals, to my own or other
particular regiments, or to the general agents
of the Sanitary, Christian or Masonic Com.
missions.
Fl The 25th, SD and S5th celored, the 10th
Iowa, 7th Vermont, LIST Florida and other
regiments at Fort Barrancas are all suffering
with scurvy, some of. them equally, in pro-
portion to numbers, with our own. b =.
The Col. of the 25th met me the day left
Florida, and said, ''My Chaplain has gone to
New Orleans to-day to see if he can obtain a
feac vegetables; but if you are going where
they are raised and can get supply, tell the
people, for mercy's sake to have pity upon us,
and sendlus something to prevent sonr all rot
ting together" Officers of other regiments
expressed themselves to medn similar man.
4ner.
Hear what DIR. G. w. Martin, chief surgeon
of our regiment says to Gen. Banks in rela-
ton to my leave of absence: II certify that
the Second Maine Cavalry is suffering from
scuryy in consequence Of deficiency in veg
letabie food About one hundred cases -ap-
apeared in the month of August; and unless
the. regiment is better supplied with vegeta-
bles the disease will continue to Increase. II
Chaplain Mason is permitted to go to Maine,
the friends OF our regiment will undoubtedly
furnish him with potatoes, onions, beets, tur-
nips, fruits and pickles, sufficient to cure the
scurvy and greatly increase the efficiency Of
our men. e 1t is my opinion that our Chaplain
can do more for the benefit OF the service by
going to Maine and procuring the much need
ed antiscorbutics than in any other way
Therefore earnestly recommend that leave
of absence be granted him for that purpose"
DrsGeo. "a. Blake, the untiring and efficient
general agent of the U. S. Sanitary Commits
sion for the Department Of the Gulf, few
days before left New Orleans, wrote me as
follows: .e3isaa e si'sA 20 hes
chaplain Nason,-The object of your fur.
Tough home is most commendable--to- incite
the people of your, State to contribute vege-
tables for the soldiers. Your regiment has
suffered for want of vegetables as you can tes-
tify-the position I occupy as agent OF the q.
S. Sanitary Commission enables me TO assure
you that every regiment in the department,
extending from Key West to the Rio Grande,
and from themouth of the Mississippi to Red
River, are suffering more or. less from scurvy.
Most of the-diseases with which our soldiers
are effected assume a scorbutic character
All my correspondence with the several regi-
ments in this department is burdened with the
Macedonian cry for vegetables. If the loyal
and patriotic people Of your State, by forcible
representations, by proper and energetic
agents, could be made to fully appreciate the
imperitise necessity OF vegetables to insure the
health Of her soldiers, they would no doubt
give. as they always have, freely Of their abuun-
dance. wish you great success in your en-
terprise and hope You may return to your reg
iment again in safety, laden with the fruits of
the earth.Ya Il I0E 9JnBuIB 6TeS
DIR. Smith and Rev. Mr.. Diossy, agents of
the Christian Commission in New Orleans.
said to me. "We obtain all the supplies we
can, and distribute all We receive as impartial
ly as we can, but can only meet 1.-THE Of til,
demands" 100 ayae g sstss aas ais5soo
But am afraid this letter is already longer
than will be read. I win only add-the sol
diers are suffering, as the above testimonies
show. The people have the supplies they need