The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-02-18
Letter from an Agent Of the Maine Camp
Hospital Association.
CITY PoINT. va. Feb. 4, 1S65.

CITY POINT, Va, Feb. 4, 1865.
DEAR E:-Our vegetables, 26 bills, came
Monday via Baltimore, and yesterday the sci
diers picked them over, saving the good and
throwing away the bad. When they had fin
ished we had 20 bbls. Of good vegetables to dis
tribute The soldiers roasted potatoes in the
ashes in the reading room, and some of them,
with strip of salt fish, made most luxurious
meal To day we sent Dbl. and half to the
Sd battery, and tomorrow shall send to the I'd
and to the sharpshooters. We cannot send to
the front till the battle is over. The vegeta-
bes came in remarkably good condition con-
sidering the long time on the way, and inclem-
ency of the weather. Could you see how ca
ger the men are to receive them, you would
think it paid well even at the sacrifice of one
fourth. If they had been but one month con-
ing, they would have been perfectly fresh and
nice. The soldiers come in and ask for pota-
to as if it was an article of the greatest luxu-
ry, and receive it with as much apparent
pleasure as if it was luscious peach, or a
bunch of Hamburg grapes. Mr.. 81. has not yet
arrived from W., but we think he will be here
tomorrow if he can get down the Potomac.
He seems to be just the man for the place, en-
ergetic, faithful, interested for the soldiers,
ready to do anything in his power for them,
and always cheerful.
A Pennsylvania boy sick in one of the
wards, heard Mrs. NJ. say that our potatoes
had come, but she feared they were all frozen
they had been so long on the way. Next day
she received note asking "if she would be so
kind as to send him some of the frozen pota-
toes that she could not use, as he had poor
appetite and thought he should like them"
OF course we sent the poor fellow some nice
ones. In one of the barrels of potatoes we
found box Of mince pies and jar Of apple
sauce Some of the mince pies we scraped
and warmed over, and they tasted very good,
while others were so mouldy that we were
obliged to throw away the pastry and save
only the meat.
Heavy guns are booming tonight. A thou
sand wounded have come here within three
days. Col. TildeD, of the 10th Maine, is re-
ported wounded. His horse fell on him njur-
ing his leg. He was carried off the field, had,
his wound dressed and returned to the battle
when he was soon severely wounded and sent
to the hospital. 1t Is very tantalizing to be SO
near the battle field and yet know SO little of
what is being done.
Thursday.-To-day we have sent two bbls
of potatoes and a tub of sour kraut to the
sharpshooters; and there has been continued
knocking at our door all day. Every five
minutes there has been call for apples, pota-
toes, sour kraut, crackers, black berry cordial,
sage, old cotton, pads for the wounded, old
cider lor jaundice, tobacco, canned mi k, fan
nels, soc.ks, slippers and mittens, whisky and
brandy. This will give you some idea of our
work whsu add that often we have twenty
calls for the same article.
With regard to the Rebel Armada" we only
kaow that we heard the guns all night, and
felt perfectly safe with General Grant here to
defend us. But we heard next day, that we
were only saved from being shelled out by
grou nding the rebel ram. Ket we have not
lost our faith in our General for all that. We
have gunboat at the mouth of the Appomatox
aud feel sure the rebels cannot do that thing
again. We hear that the Potomac is open, and
and shall look for Mr.. Hays with our much
louged-for stores to morrow. n
Affectionately, r.