Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-02-09
UNITED STATES SANITARY COM.
MISSION.
Seni-annuaI Report of the soldiers
Aid Society of Northern Ohio.


Aid Society of EOrthern Ohio.
We have received the semi-annusl Re-
port of the Soldiers Aid Society of North
ern Ohio, from July 1st, 1864, to January
1st, 1865, which we take great pleasure in
laying before our readers. 1t will be seen
that this Branch Commission has been q
perfect success, and the amount of its char
tiles gives some idaa Of the grsndpropor-
tioDs and power for good of the parent en-
terprise.
The officers of the society have been eff
cient. and have brought to the discharge Of
their duties love and zeal for the great
work. The following are the officers of the
Central Society of Northern Ohio, whose
headquarters are in this city
President-Mrs. B. Rouse.
Vice -Presidents-Mrs. VIM. Melhinch
Mrs. ]. A. Harris.
Secretary-Miss Mary Clark Bray ton.
Treasurer-Miss Ellen F. Terry.
Doc. Clerk-Miss Carrie P. Young'ove.
We give first in order the
sECRETARY's REPORT.
In reviewing our business for the half
year ending with 1864, we gladly report
that here, as elsewhere, the Sanitary Com.
mission has felt the impulse inspired by
the splendid achievements of our gallan
armies, and the accompanying tables show
largely increased receipts, while the activ'
ity and loyalty of our tributaries give bright
promise for the coming months.
The business of the central rooms, the
marking, packing and shipping of goods
the mailing of documents and general Office
work, have been WITHOUT msIeffaI cnange
The report of the work department show
9,SO7 articles cut, given out and returned
As a ready means of communicating
with our branches, a small printing Office
/ has been added to our rooms, and it's fre
quent bulletins have sensibly increased Oul
receipts by giving prompt information o
the ever varying demand-whilet the cheer
L ing letters that we receive from the army
are thus made TO stimulate and strengthen
/ the hands of many who wait only to b.
directed and encouraged.
Beyond these constant duties, each dal
has brought its special demands upon ou
time and sympathies. We have had al
most hourly occasion to consult the HOspi.
tai Directory, or to listen to the thousRnS
and one inquiries and appeals sent from
the home to the hospital or from the sol
dier to his home, through that mutua
friend and faithful medium, the Sanitar,
/ Commission.
The work Of direct relief to disabled sol
diers has greatly increased Besides tn
assistance given them from our rooms, ou
| Soldiers Home has received Z, ,4S7 men, t
whom 3,342 lodgings and 12,423 meal
| have been furnished. A detailed repor
of the Home accompanies this paper. n
needy soldier has ever been refused q shel
ter there, and it has proved a haven of res
to manya weary traveller.
The letters from our branch societie
have been uniformly filled with the spiri
of good works, though the burden evident
ly falls upon the ever faithful few. Til
result of their labOrs we are proud to shoI
for their steadfast devotion we have N
fitting terms of praise. During the sum
mer our tributaries have been urged to col
lect potatoes, onions, pickles, krout an
anything that will prevent or arrest seurvy
In excess of our usual shipments we wer
thus able to send hundreds of barrels q
/ pickles to Sherman's men while lying be
/ fore Atlanta and when that splendid arm,
passed beyond the loving care of the North
and could only be followed by the prayer
of thousands of hearts, the gathering force
Il
section. All possible facilities for transpor
tation have been afforded by commandinI
officers General Thomas, lately standin
on the Square at Nashville, pointing to tn
/ sign over the door of the Sanitary store
house there, said with much emphasis
"nO tongue can tell the good done by tn
Sanitary Commission to the army of tn
Cumberland from every quarter come
similar testimony.
/ As the approach of winter increased tn
| demand for woolens, socks and mittens
our branch societies have turned their re
1 sources towards the purchase of material
the fairs, suppers, &c, held in many town
affOrding means for this purpose. We her
acknowledge the services Of societies ant
individuals in making up garments cut a
our rooms,-also offer thanks to the Church
es and various associations from which W,
have received gifts of money.
Supplies haYe been sent in answer t.
special demands as follows To Wheel
ing, Va, for hospitals Of Western Va
Bandages and dressings to Camp Dennison
also two carloads of fresh vegetables t,
the same post, contributed by citizens o
Mentor, o. The Sanitary agency at Lsav-
enworth has made. its usual draft; anC
stores sent there are faithfully distributed
| by Mr.. ]. r. Brown in hospitals of Leaven.
worth and Fort Scott, also to destitut,
freedmen and refugees in that vicinity
The General Hospital at Camp Cleveland
has received bandages and dressing
and small amount of cottoI
clothing. By special request, four boxes
of clothing and bedding were sent to Hos
pital No. 4, New Albany; and a large sup
ply of bedding TO the Soldiers Home lately
opened by the Sanitary Commission at JET.
fersonville, Ind. The Soldiers Home a
Nashville has received many special ship.
ments from this society. Garments, slip.
pers, crutches, slings, &C., have been
issued to soldiers coming in destitutior
to our rooms; and writing materials
and various minor articles of comfort
given to soldiers from Camp Cleveland
We have forwarded private boxes to Wood.
vile Hospital; Hospital No. l, Nashville
Post Hospital, Camp Chase; Ohio Stat,
Agency, Washington; and to Little Rock
Arkansas. Due receipts for all the above
are on file in our office.
In answer to stirring letters from oul
prisoners, we have sent several boxes O
lood and clothing to the prisoners at Dan.
vile, Virginia, and Florence, South Caro-
lima; also, occasional boxes and packages tc
soldiers in the field.
The bulk of our goods has gone as usua
to headquarters U. S. Sanitary Commission
Western Department. These stores 20 from
here in locked cars, in care of q special
messenger, responsible for their safe deIiv-
cry in Louisville, Ky. Thence they are
forwarded to Nashville, Chattanooga, and
the ever more distant 'front.'" and dis
pensed by agents, whose long experience
fits them to bestow the right thing in the
right place; and to use our stores with less
waste and more effect than could be done
by any transient distributor, however con
scientious or jealous.
The economy of the administration of the
Sanitary Commission is proved by the fact
that in the Western De partment. hospitsl
stores of the value of three and haIfmiI-
lions of dollars have been distributed 10 the