The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-02-11
A CONVALESCENT CAMP.
The ''Halfway House" Between the Hospital and
fhn

the Frent
To THE EDITOR: As do not remember hav-
ing seen any mention of c0nvaescent camps in
your columns, will undertake description of
one it was my lot to pass through. Whether
there were few or many of these camps or half
way stations between the hospitals and the
front do not know; however am sure there
was one. and my experience in that was enough
to satisfy my desire forlvariety in that direc-
ton. | have been inclined to envy those SOL
diers who passed through their term of enlist
mcnt without the variation in their experience
of the hospital, cOnvaleseent camp or prison. 1t
was my lot to fall into the first two, and to-
wards the third; but after being carried short
distance | was pronounced unworthy of further
attention. and so left 10 the mercy Of fate, that
for once was prOptlous
The convaescert camp or Camp Distribution,
always seemed to ne a very unnecessary adj
junCt of the war. The one | was introduced to
lay not far from Washington, and was designed
as place of rendezvous for the unfortunates of
the war that were fortunate enough to recover
from sickness or wounds and be ordered from
the hospital to the front. Instead of going di-
reCtly to their regiments, they were sent as
convalesceuts to this distribution camp, where,
especially in the Winter of 1922 their powers
of endurance were so taxed that if they with
stood the Indictment ordeal for few weeks
without discharge or returning to hospital,
they were only too glad to be forwarded to
their commands.
The new order Of things pertaining to hos
pitfalls that took place in the Winter of 1862
caused the breaking up of all corps hospitals
and the establishment, on a more thorough
basis of the general hospital system that
continued to the close of the war. Accordingly,
on the Gath of January, 1868, squad of Sc
started from the Third Corps hospital as was
supposed, for their regiments. The weather
was inclement, and the roads had been made
heavy by Virginas characteristic Winter
weather. The rains had so covered the earth
that at one place we marched nee-deep in mud
and water. SO we plodded on till we brought
up at-my journal says" Stragglers' Camp"
Certainly the appellation was appropriate for
the camp. Situated on level ground, at that
season nearly afoat in mud and water, and,
occupied as it was by constantly changing, dis
contented stragglers, the camp was not the most
inviting place, even for old soldiers.
The tents were of the A pattern, and much
the worse for wear. The squad of which l have
spoken reached this distribution camp at the
close of the day, and were offered shelter in
tents carpeted with mud nearly rs deep as that
which lay outside. There was but little straw
to be had, no fire, and no fuel, unless we
brought it over a mile. The wind was strong,
snow was beginning to fall and a more rebeli
Gus set of soldiers | never saw. Soon perhaps
half of the squad had struck out for some
where. Houses were sought, haymows were APP
prOpriatcd. Strawstacks anything that
offered shelter, were preferable to the tents that
had been given us. That night four inches of
snow fell, followed the next day by Virginia
thaw, then freeze, another thaw, and SO on
during our stay in convaleScent camp
Many soldiers from this place were sent back
to hospitals, and never in my experience did |
see an equal chance to obtain discharge from
the service. An examining board was often, if
not always in session, and it was well under
stood by the boys that a portion of their last
payment would materially aid in procuring an
unexpiring furlough but as this aid would not
do for a foundation other expedients, such as
running to increase, palpitation, or something
to irrtate a cough, or, as | knew in one in
stance, the scraping of the shin-b bone to create
a sore, were resorted to- and discharges were
forthcoming.
Had this camp been under proper discipline,
had the quarters been comfortable and the
cooking palatable the boys would have been
content and anxious for their regiments instead
of home. Even as it was a large majority were
loyal and true to the cause they had espoused
and anxiously waited the time to join their
comrades at the front. On the 1st of February
members of the Twelfth Corps were sent to the
front and on the Sd the Third Corps followed
suit. Taking q transport at Alexandria we
were landed at Acquia Creek and from there
marched to the camp of the corps opposite
Fredericksburg.-WM +. LoRING, Co. L, 14Ist
Pa Santa Rosa Cal