New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-23
FROM KENTUCKY.
The Wounded In she Western Army.
CORES ponde-ce o, The New iorh Tribune.
LOUISVILLE, KY, August l3, 1864.


sosply affecting the interests of the soldiers from
Eastern States, who are serving in the Western
Army, TO which / crave your attention.
Let me premise that there are in tho hospitals
10 and about this city 10, 600 sick and wounded
soldiers. very large proportion of whom are
sfom New York, New jersey, Pennsylvania
Massachusetts and Connecticut Many OF IncSe
men are seriously affected by wounds ana o'ncr
ailments; some Of them will, probably never
again be fit for duty, and majority Will not be
saicieutly recovered to rejoin their regiments
S,r several months. Owing TO their absence
cam their regiments and the constant forward
,,oggpent of he Western Army, scarcely
s,v of these men have been able to get
feir descriptive rolls" aud consequently
lave not been paid for periods ranging
sccm seven TO ten months. They are thus
u,able to gafhor discharge" papers, though
S.ar NAV 6eTtally unfit forfurther duty; and,
Z, her. they are unable to remit any portion of
s;ejr nav 10 their families, who, in many cases,
"a completely destitute. Their diseases, and
sfsr anxiety about their families, have, in
.,.cerous instances, produced feeling OF the
,-,soundest detection, amounting often to abso-
e.. bonelessuess: and their confinement to the
.e.-Ia or tents Of their hospitals, with no fani-
Ia faces about them and remote from home,
s,s couspired to o sense OF sOlitaryness, and to
:. sposition 10 brood over and perhaps magnify
.bc;r real troubles. They arc oil pinsng for
bome-for sight of familiar faces and things
81, unfortunately there II no relief tor them.
~ are not permitted to bs transferred to The
Of in In ngi. VI nor
III of tbeir homes, where they might
~ r;.,e1 and cheered by the calls OF their rel
sfiyes and friends, and from whence they might
- ont on leave. 10 visit their families.
This denial Of transfers to the men from New
,Vnk New Jersey, and the other Atlantic States
y.s pecular hardship in itself; butt is aggrava-
eel by the fact that transfer. ore permitted IN
C,ror of the soldiers belonging TO the western
etses. who are daily leaving here in large
.,,l ads. for hospitals in the immediate y.chlty
of heir homes.
An application has been made to the War De-
oartment for a similar treatment OF soldiers
fpn the Atlantic States, not only as matter
Al eonity and even-handed justice, but on the
rounds of humanity and prudence. The disea-
Se. Of the men are most unfayOTably affected ny
.hjs peculiar privation and in the greater number
.ofnases, aggravated and prolonged by the tor-
spent of their minds and the opportunity 10
arnrser their sorrows, which is ministered TO
Or urostration on hospital bed, in hospital
atmosphere. with hospital sights and sounds on
eyew side. 1t would seem then. that the ap-
eolicstion for their transfer to their own States,
Snrht 10 have been favorably entertained, both
an The score of humanity and OF economy. The
men would be made comparatively happy, ana
tie government would sooner have the beneht
OF their services. But the application was de-
oiei And the sole reason given for the DENIAL
4 contained in an official reply from the war
% osrtment, which is Of the following tenor:
'Yurlorehs and discharges in tho Western Army
SO granted through the local conmaIdeIs ;
-"Nu, no rGasJers made from that army
go eastern Hospitals This is Regulation
u, he War Department which is very sr'ngenty en-,
ld; ard TIE explanation given Is that 1t Is intended
10 make tie organi2stOn Of the Western Army com
% In itself and transfers the East remove soldiers
too far from their regiments.
Now it il folly to suppose that the transfer OF
mn who are likely to be sick from wounds ioI
priods of from three to four months, as Is the
case with the majority of cases | have seen,
would impair the completeness of the organize
sion of the Western Army They would be a'
eetainlv. and almost as quickly reached, When
st for duty, if in the hospitals at New York,
Epwark, or Philadelphia, as If in those OF Camp
Case or Camp DennisOn, in Ohio. The true
lesson is the cost of transportation; ana
7s, this cost is not mach greater than II
. to many Of the Western States, whittier
Men are daily transferred. But even If i
we're materially greater, the sum Of the expense
4 small beside many useless expenses which
AZ hourly Incurred, and it would be money
vtl expended IN reviewing both mental ans
physical anguish, and III more quickly restoring
IL men 10 usefulness in the army.
|. therefore, feel it tO be duty which 1 owe
ia The suffering soldiers Of my own and othe
Safes, to appeal to their friends and well-wish
or at home 10 make nm honest combined efior
W induce the authorities TO set aside this unrea
saisble rule, and TO institute new one whicf
vii permit the men from the Eastern States
seving in the Western Army, to be transferred
20 hOsptas near their homes.
Another point, deeply concerning the welfare
Of rur NeW-York, New Jersey and other Eastern
81 'ers is as follows: There is no officer at tins
Dsut--where there are always 10000 sicl
o. wounded men-wbO Is elnpOwe1eI
70 grant furloughs or discharges. In oil
esses, applications for these must 90 from
here 10 Nashville, from thence to Chattanooga
1nn thence to Knoxville and then travel bach
ssdn by the same circuitOus route to the place
q hrginning Thisprocess involves intermna
tr DELAYS; and, frequently, the applications are
Dictated bv a demand from the remote head
G4arters for " further information" Numerous
cas- have occurred Of mn dying IN hospital
.sho, the surgeons believe would haverecOvereC
| tiihcy had been furloughed or discharged d
| god season; and in one instance, q surgeon
exhibited 10 me five furloughs, which had re-
| Gently reached him in one body, month aitei
| ,he men for whom they were intended had beer
| tgdcd!
very easy remedy for this, an(
one which ought to be instantly