The Soldiers' journal. (Rendezvous of Distribution, Va.) 1864-1865, 1865-01-11
Posr HOSPITAL, CITY POINT, VA, I
December II, 1864. !

II. EDITOR
Permit me to submit to the con-
alteration of your readers a few words about the
Post Hospital, and "Bull Ring" as it is COM
monty called, but more appropriately Prisoners
Barracks.
The Post Hospital is situated at City Point,
about one quarter of mile from the river. 1t
contains about fifty hospital tents, and an aver
age of about two hundred patients. Most of the
patients admitted to this hospital are sick, as it
does not provide for soldiers belonging to the
Corps but those belonging to Army Headquar-
tiers and on detached service, doing guard duty
at the Point or elsewhere in the Army of the Po
tomac, and also the sick from the Bull Ring,
who are not few. The facilities for cooking,
and the diet prepared have not been as good as
in the Corps Field Hospitals, but the energy and
enterprise of DIR, Loughran, the Surgeon in
charge is developing new improvements which
equal if not eclipse those of the Corps Hospitals.
Until recently all the cooking has been done un-
der fly and the convalescents' and nurses
tables exposed to the open air, but now, on one
end of the hospital stands a commodious frame
building combining cook house, eating house,
store house and wash house, where everything
is done with Difference to cleanliness and order.
In this cook house are prepared, both high and
light but separate kitchen is in course of con-
struction for light diet alone, and competent
lady who is interesting herself in behalf of the
soldiers, is already secured to superintend it.
The wards of the hospital are we'll foored, pro-
vided with good stoves and comfortable beds,
and have experienced nurses who have an eye
to the welfare of the SICK
In nearly the centre of the hospital stands
small church edifice, where I suppose, in times
gone by, the residents of City Point and the adj
jacent country assembled to hear expounded
from the mouth of some rebel preacher, the re-
ligion of their own peculiar caste. One would
suppose that it would still be used a place of
worship, but instead of being appropriated as
place wherein to dispense medicine to the soul
1t has been converted into dispensary of drugs
for the body.
During the Summer an agent of the Commits
sion visited and supplied the hospital with the
Sanitary additionals that furnished to all
hospitals where Relief Stations of the Commits.
sion exist, but not until recent date has there
been permanent Station established, and Relief
Agents to give their personal attention to the
sick. The Sanitary Commission has got to be
looked upon as necessary appendage to hos
pital by Surgeon and all. The other day one of
the nurses made application to the head Surgeon
for broom. The Surgeon replied in peculiar
style so characteristic of him: "B-o-n-e the
Sanitary" An amusing scene connected with
the Sanitary department. of the hospital occurred
the other day. Along the edge of the Hospital is
aravine which commences few rods above, and
extends to the river. The Third Division of the
Sixth Corps had disembarked on the Point, and
while awaiting transportation to the front one
regiment had found its way into the ravine in
order to protect themselves from the cold. They
were right opposite the hospital, and, knowing
they were hungry, rolled two barrels of crack
ers down the hill to them The barrels were
soon opened and their contents distributed and
dsvoured, some how ever, getting more than their