Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-01-12
The Horrors Of War--WepOrt of
the Refugees RELIEF tomDlis-

J
Of Ohio, dated November. 1864: George G.
Dawes, President; John D. Caldwell. Sec
rotary. The object Of the Commission ap-
pear. in the title Of the Rcport. The
amounts OF money received and expended.
thus far, by the mmission--includinp in
the latter 800 O2, cash on hands sl3-.
BOB %: that is TO say equivalent to about
five hundred dollars at par value. This is
not very much but besides being pretty
severely taxed for national, State and local
purposes, the peopls Of Ohio are called upon
for charitable donations to many other
causes besides that Of the Refugees.
We would not Willingly depreciate the
efforts Of the Refugee Relief Commission !;
nor have we any evidence that It's affairs are
not conducted with integrity and economy
We have heard suggestions Of Indifference
on the part Of its actuaries to the wants of
those who fell into their hands but would
prefer 20 believe that any laxity on their
part was the consequence rather Of want Of
adequate means than Of inclination. II is
evident enough, without going beyond the
report, that but drop has been supplied
where an ocean was needed. fla complete
view, IN a single picture could be gained Of
all the helpless and hopeless misery which
has resulted from this war-cycn Of that
whose victims are in no way ch1rvcable with
their own mi,ery---the spectacle would de-
strDy the spectator No man could look
upon it and live Right or wrong we the
people Of the United States have created a
hell upon earth--a hell, not only in respect
to It's torture and despair. but in respect to
its hatred and demoraIization We have
consented to open the Pandora box, filed
with all human ills--ills Of mind, ills ofbody.
rank diseases, hateful passions. loathsome
vices, murderous bie0trics, fiery fanatici-ms.
We have invited sin. legalized murder.
sanctioned robbery, and learned TO take
pleasure in scenes Of plumber and dcyasta-
ton. We have turned our whole vast
country into a seminary for the cultivation
of spirit of violence. We have sown the
seeds Of bitter plants whose rank and ire
pressible growth will plague and torture
generations yet unborn.
We are warring against a people: not
merely against Cover nments and armies, but
against inhabitants-not merely against
men, but against women and children. The
ofense which We profess to be Furnishing is
a political oiIense. When it is remembered
that Of the people alarge majority-at least
four out ofeycry SlX-aTc not political agents:
had no voice in bringing on the state Of
things which we assume to punish, have none
IN directing the war, nor any power TO bring
it to an end: that they, including every
grade Of the helpless and the dependent. are,
and can only be, victims when we remember,
furthermore, that the rights Of these in the
sight Of God and Of dispassionate men are
equal to the rights Of the strong and the
mature, and that there is, according to every
maxim Of morals and dictate Of humanity,
an nTepcalable obligation resting uponall to
protect those Who from their weakness, are
unable to protect themselves.
The extracts from the report which We
give below, show how severe have been the
suflerings which, indirectly, the war party
has inflicted upon its friends. We could re-
/ late instances in which the direct infections
| have been equally intense bat from these
we are warned to refrain. Says the report:
''Fcw among US have any idea Of the ter
rible state of misery and degradation which
has followed the tramp of the contending
armies. Among other reports we have re-
ceived is "A copy of the following, and we
might add that, at the present moment, we
have the most pressing calls from Nashville.
where tourteen MouSdRd retugees have been
received or passed through the city, and
hundreds of women and children are in fields
and novels, scantily clad in garments i'll
suited to the season, and daily dying from
exposure and want
The following extracts from reports We
have received from Natchez, show the great
need there is for ,.atertal aid for these suf-
ferng refugees:
"A latge proportion of those whom we
have aided have husbands, brothers and sons
in the Union army, and this fact rests not
upon statements only, but on positive proof
Banks unfortunate expedition brought
ruin upon thousands, for the people, feeling
confident of his success, openly avowcd their
attachment to the Union, and after his de-
feat, they were left wholly unprotected.
Their houses We're burned over theis heads,
and they themselves were compelled to flee
for their lives.
Son both sides of the river they are
crowded together in miserable buildings,
and when those fail, they lie often with no
bed but the damp groud, and no covering
but the open sky. No wonder that death
makes such awful havoc among them,
I'm an old warehouse we found fifty-seven
in one room; Of this number only twelve
were able to stand, they We're so sick and
weak from exposure and want of food.
"A sick woman lay on the floor with
babe week old by her side at her feet lay
little child two years old, wasted to
other children lay near her, all too sick to
is soldier in our army
"On blanket in corner, with a few old
clothes rolled up to supply the place of pill
low, lay three little children, all very sick.
Their mother, a worn, feeble looking wo-
man, sat beside them on the floor, and as |
stopped to examine the little ones and in
quire into their wants, she burst into tears
and exclaimed II am afraid my children
will all die | have no medicines and moth
ing that they can eat; God knows what is
to become Of us!" Her look of bitter de-
spair as she said this, haunted me for days
afterward
Il found her husband and son had en-
tered our army more than year ago, but
she had lost track of them, and they knew
nothing of her whereabouts.
"A short distance from the building
have described, in a wretched shed where
hogs had always been quartered, | found
three families in a condition which 1t is i'm
possible to describe. The buildings had no
floor and the stagnant water stood upon the
ground in many places while the air within
was so intolerable that while dealing out
food and medicines | was several times
obliged to go out in the open air.
Upon the ground lay mother, grown
daughter and four other sick children
Close beside them was Il woman too far gone
to speak or notice us.
"But need not dwell longer upon these
heart -rending scenes; enough has been said
to awaken sympathy in every heart that
contains one spark offeeling or humanity
Il know that but many have but little
sympathy for these refugees, denouncing
them all as Secessionists and not worthy our
charity | can only saw that such persons