Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-03-28
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MONTPELIER VT.
Tuesday Morning, March 2S, 1865.
A Soldiers Letter. No. 80.
SlXTH CORPS HOSPITAL,
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abundantly saturated. The wind is blowing in a
very becoming manner to-day, considering what it
has to do, and the sun "pours bis full radiance
far, as if to help in the benevolent work. The
mud is rapidly drying up, and our military city
here is already looking considerably more sum
merlike. The mud isn't over shoes now in many
places, and man wearing government bootees
will find it perfectly safe in attempting to cross
the majority Of our streets. By next week, un.
ess i rains, he can 90 anywhere.
About hundred men were sent to-day from
this hospital to their regiments at the front-con-
ulescents pronounced by the surgeons fit for duty.
Yesterday was the day for examination, when the
surgeons passed their judgment upon the physical
soundnes Of the men under their care. Not
every man, however, gets formal examination,
that is returned to his company for duty. The
surgeons Of the respective wards examine only
such Of whose condition they have some doubts
Of the majority they have formed their opinion
before. But if man imaginei or tries 10 imag
line that bis surgeon is hurryipg him eff prema-
turey and asks for an examination, unless bis plea
is to frivolous too notice,t is given him. Not many
however, have the disposition to ask for this, and
Of those that have the majority keep it entirely TO
themselves. Most generally fellow that has
been patient in a hospital for any length Of time,
when he gets well 70 as to be back again with
bis regiment is pleased beyond measure when the
time comes for him to 60. 1t is like getting out
Of prison. II is as dull as death ooufnd here,
and a man with any life in him, SO to speak, likes
to be among bis own boys again and doing hi.
regular duty at the front Very many when the
surgeons come around taking down their names,
and they suspect what it means, will plead to be
reekoned with the number, but the surgeon will
be obliged to refuse their request. And there Is
once in while one with a weakness about him
somewhere, which the surgeons have persisted in
Ignoring, and which it would be hard work 10
reconcile with his other symptoms Of health and
the science Of physiology, who will plead the
other way, but il he attempts that and gets of
without giving the wits aud lovers Of fun cruel
advantage over him, he may consider himself
lucky fellow.
Each mans effects, his knapsaek, hayersaek,
gun and equipments il he has them, as every sol
der is supposed to have, sre kept for him in
s.ere.room for that purpose uuder the charge OF
trusty man detailed for tha, business, while he
Is patient here, and when he returns to his reg
iment they are given up to him. But before they
leave the hospital, however, they have sort Of
Inspection, and il any hospital blanket, under.
clothes or anything Of that kind, is found in the
knapsacks which the soldier cannot establish bis
claim TO, Il is taken out and left. noticed this
morning when ths steward vas inspecting the
knapsacks, the sergeant that followed him bad
quite an armful Of confscated punder Of one sor,
and another, which the steward had extracted from
the various knApsacks. The boys thought it was
hard that the steward wouldn't let them have a
little something to remember the Sixth Corps
Hospital by, but he wouldn't.
This reduction Of our numbers makes quite a
sensible difference in the appearance about the
hospital There isn't so many Of the inhabitants
walking about, and many faces that had become
familiar are among the absent. New ones vii
come and take their places, and thus change is
going on continuAily-ehanges such as mar
would notice in any quiet, little village, after al
absence Of some years, while here it requires
only few days. The Ninth Corps had an addi-
ton to their number day before yesterday. Two
hospital cars came down from the front in the af
ternoon, loaded with sick, the most Of them very
bad cases, Judged by the care with which the.
had to be handled. These hospital ears are used
for the express purpose Of carrying very sick an'
wounded men. They are passenger cars, bu
instead Of seats on each side, stretches are strunI
up, and IN this way sick men can be transported
from one place to another, as comfortably as
would be possible to transport men by land
There are five tiers Of stretches on each side O
each car, and three in each tier. These sretcher
are held up by large india rubber straps, and ca
be taken down or put up with the individuals tina
occupy them.
We are having sons very excellent religion
meetings here at our new chapel. las, syeuin
there was crowded house, should think iher
was nearly il not quite 500 men present. Their
were several Of the Christian Commission DELE
gates, who spoke briehyi three Of whom believ
were from Chicago. The interest and feeling at
peared to be deep and earnest. The last speaker
remarks ablunded in incidents, illustrating til
power Of prayer, and the interest felt by the pc,
pie at home for the spiritual welfare of the so
diers. lie spoke Of one little girl in Chicago, Il
daughter OF poor widow, only six years OF ag,
and some Of the incidents he mentioned of h,
simple failh were very touching and beSutfu
l wish could tell the story here, as it was to
u last night. But that would be impossible, ,ar
l havnt room. But can give the bare ciroar
stances OF this little incident, il you will pard'
the depression.
1t seems they were very poor and had suffer-
much as, alas many do in our great cities. Thr
years ago this woman, with her two little ehidtt
had been threatened by their landlord with bel
turned out Of doors, because their rem, had be
long unpaid, and there appeared to be no prosp,
OF Their being able TO pay it. This little q
thsn oeIy three years Of sge, asks her weepi
mother one evening, " Does Mt God hear us VIII
we pray "fe'," says the mother. "a
won't ho give us what we need II we AK him
Certainly my child" "wsll mamma don't