Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-10-20

| better Judgment may be thought expe-
dient, and suitable provision to be made
/ for necessary drill and instruction in
military duty, and for calling out the
militia as occasion may require, with
power to the Executive of the State to
| draft from the enrolled militia to I'LL up
| from time to time the regiments organ
\ lied or if necessary to organize new
ones.
Upon the proper details of such organ
| ization you will be best able to Judge,
| and commit the whole subject to your
careful consideration, trusting you will
| be led to such favorable results, and per-
feet such a system as will be simple and
efficient, and at the same time secure to
the State that sure and ample measure
| of protection from foreign aggression
which can be best found, in the form
best adapted to our free institutions,
| only in well trained and thoroughly
| disciplined patriotic citizen soldiery-
''ever present, rarely seen quartered
among us, not in camps and forts, but
at the firesde, in the counting room,
the work shop, the place of business,
ready with stout hearts and trained
hands to defend our firesides and our
| homes from the aggressions OF for
eign foe or from the more ruthless st
| tacks of bold marauders, instigated and
led on by domestic traitors.
HOSPITALS.
In obedience to the joint resolution Of
the two houses authorizing and request
ing the Governor to provide further and
ample accommodations for the sick and
wounded Vermont soldiers, | proceeded
at once to make such provisions as the
interests of the State and the exigencies
of the service seemed to require. In
structions were given to the acting Sur
geon General of the State, DR.. S. w.
Thayer, to make provision for the en-
largement of the hospital at Burlington
to the extent of two hundred beds, and
also to examine and report the best To-
cation for the erection of hospital build
ings, regard being had to the best accom-
modation of all parts of the State. In
obedience to the instructions given, the
acting Surgeon General made the proper
examinations ana submitted his report,
recommending Montpelier as the best
and most desirable location, all things
considered, and that the necessary build
ings for the accommodation of three or
four hundred patients be erected, as soon
as practicable, provided the location
should meet the approval Of the Medical
Director of the Department of the East
The Medical Director in personal in
terview approved the location, and the
report of the Surgeon General of the
State was subsequently submitted to
him, and received his cordial approba-
ton The report and letter of approval
are herewith transmitted, Preparations
were accordingly made for the erection
of the necessary buildings, and the work
was placed in charge the Quartermast-
, er-General of the State.
In the early part of June last the
buildings were partially completed and
accommodations prepared for about
three hundred beds,
The reports from the several hospitals
show that an aggregate of four thousand
two hundred and sixteen patients have
! been received during the past year as
follows
' At the U s. Gen. Hospital at Brattleboro
, | since Oct J, 1858, al.
7 | At the Baxter U. 8. Gen, Hospital at Bur-
l lington since Oct. i, 1868, 93:
, At the Sloan US. Gen. Hospital at Mont
, pelier since the completion Of the Hos
pital in June, 81
e The same reports show remaining il
! Hospitals Oct 1st, 1854, an aggregate o
t thirteen hundred and four, as follows
: U. 8. Gen. Hospital, Brattleboro, 4s
/ | Baxter U. s. Gen. Hospital, Burlington, 33
Sloan U, s. Gen. Hospital, Montpelier, ~!
g lso
The large number of wounded in tn,
recent battles will soon increase thi
Il number, and added to this, the usua
proportion of sick among the new levie
who have just gone to the field, the hos
pital accommodations will soon now b.
5 found too limited.
The amount expended in charging tn,
7 hospital at Burlington has been assumed
and paid by the General Government
and that amount does not appear in tn
;, accounts of the State. The Treasurer
: the State has advanced, by my direction
e for the hospital at Montpelier, th
amount of thirty-two thousand fiv,
: hundred dollars. Other buildings ar
u now in process Of construction, consist
> ing of chapel and barracks for tn
Veteran Reserve Corps. The work ha
: been under the supervision of the Quar-
!, termaster- General of the State and al
/ vouchers and details of expenditures will
/ be found in his accounts.
In May last, arrangements were mad
. with the War Department to occupy tn,
!, hospital so far as finished, and to sup
4 ply the necessary furniture. Notwith
: standing the large increase of hospita
Il accommodations there is not yet suffi
cient in tue state to supply the demand
y and many soldiers are still left in dis
I tant hospitals, unable to be transferred
a to Vermont for want OF room.
u No State has made more liberal pro
: visions for its soldiers than Vermont
and am happy thus to congratulate,
: the State on the position which she roc
cupies in this respect. Whether i
: would be advisable to make still further
: provision to increase the accommoda
I tions, is a question left to your careful
{ consideration. The matter of expense
to any reasonable amoAnt, is unworthy
: of consideration in comparison with thu
welfare and comfort of the men VIII,
I have thus nobly offered their lives tx
A.