The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-08-31
THE SICK OF TIE MAINE soth.


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THE SICK OF TIE MAINE Soth.
.sAniarticle Appeared in the Press yesterday
morning, from correspondent, in relatloh ~. ~
The diseomforts Of the sick particularly, OF Inc
10Th Maine on the passage from savannah to
This port That article implied tnat there was
almost a total restitution in medical supplies,
hat the sick could receive neither proper at
,ant;on NOR sufficient nourishment, SO that
,,,o,,, the arrival of the ship one Of the first
,,,est;ons asked was, @When shall we have
,omething to eata p f-a = sAAss
OF coarse, were such the facts, the. would
show great fault if not eriminality on the part
Of somebody. Indeed, it was limited that
either the colonel, the quartemaster, or the
surgeon was at fault. "a
Its not surprising that such allegations,
though put in interrogative form, should Gre
ate Unpleasant feeling on the part of the i'm
plicated officers Col. Whitman and Surgeon
Howard called upon us, and we very promptly
gave them the source Of our information.---
They assure US that more unjust statement
has seldom if ever been published. The ship,
itistrue, was crowded. This was no FAULT Of
the officers, nor, under all the circumstances,
of the Government On leaving Savannah for
a voyage Of si1 days, eIeuen days rations were
taken on board, and the men were allowed IN
many things to. draw more than their daily
rations, because it was known that a large
surplus would be left over. bns EIo0 .mIaY
In the medical department there was no
lack, except Of qdinine and whiskey-very
necessary for the complaints incident to the
place of embarkation, but though the, SUR
geon made seasonable requisition for these ar
ticles, he failed to receive q regular supply,
because they were not to be had. Every other
medicine was provided in full supply =
There was somec lack in the cooking ar
iangements on board, SO that in bad weather
dhe rations could not be cooked with desirable
facility, but no suffering. could haye arisen
dom this cause. ---- ,-rr- 4
Soon after leaving Savannah there was
good deal tof sickness -fntefmittent fevers44-
and every possible attention was bestowed up
on the, sick, possible under the circumstances.
fhe quarterrdeck was given up for their &C
cpmmodation, and in bad weather the officers
cabin was appropriated for their comfort. The
galley for the officers quarters was .taken.foF-
chile possession Of by the Colonel, and placed
under the direction and control of the Surgeon,
with men detailed as cooks to make Cruel and
other nourishing preparations for the sick, and
tAe Surgeon was ON duty, by night ard byday,
yassiduously attending to their wants. r5fp
2 Such is the statement Of Col Whitman in
relation TO the care bestowed upon this nob.el
regiment. The deaths on board were of men
lex at -theissart, one of whom was too sick K
have come ON beardy and was allowed to dc
50, unbeknown to the Surgeon, only because 81
his great anxiety to reach home.
Those who have been in camp, or on board
a crowded passenger ship, know the unavoid-
able diScomforts, dshow utterly impossible
it Is to make the sick feel as comfortable as in
their own houses There was suffering nc
doubt, on board the crowded Karnack, but we,
feel quite confident the officers are entitled to
praise for their efforts to lesson 1t as much az
possible. The subordinate officers and the
men generally, SO far as we can learn, unite in
awarding to the Colonel and Surgeon large
hare of commendation for their assiduity to
the cause of the sick. and, suffering on the
honeward voyage. : :. =