The Ottawa free trader., 1889-04-20

wen appreciate liiis no Gan Tue up'Nois VIII
served In the war of the rebellion IL W,
were so severely taxed, with the supera
bundant supplies and resources at our com
mand, II Is plainly enough to be inferred
what the condition must have been II
those rude days when the country was sc
deficient In all arts Of production and
means OF transportation; and especially
Of those pertaining 10 war,
In the days referred to, the disabilities
were real The men were Injured 10 en-.
counter with the trials and hardships, 70
toll and priyatiOns Of the pioneer life, the
wilderness and the wild beasts inhabiting
It. They lived, not rs most % the men
comprising our armies had been, reared In
plenty, ease and abundance, and pampered
with luXuries, often wasted by dissipation
AS ours had been, therefore readiest victims
10 whatever taxed their vital resources. II
was only by the survival OF the iittest that
the efficiency OF our armies at length OBJ.
tained and prevailed.
As said before this depression, 1.-The boys"
were after me by battalion about their
ailments real or imaginary, from the first
to the last. | will do them justice as
TO very many, Of saying that they kept
ever steadily aloof from me and my ambu-
lances from the first, from prompting of
honor and prde,-neyer asking assistance
al my hands till ready 10 fall by the way
side on the march, or when absolutely and
helplessly prostrsted with disease. ASH
any of the surviving j3ls whether they re,
member dear old Father Akhurst that
man ever faithful, even unto desth, in
whatever duty; that man mighty in
prayer and mighty in battle; mighty for
the best and all, 10 the extent of material
endeavOrs, and unprOtesting in all. "Mr.
Akhurst. beg you will allow me to eX-
cuse you, and that you take oneG the va
cant seats in an ambulance. The day is
intensely hot; the march has been very
long, you are extremely fatigued-ready
to melt down. no need, thus TO overhead
and overtaX yourself
"No! no! Surgeon! Many thanks. |
came here TO do my ,ohole dutH | have
@corn to do ~ When | am dead will
ride in the dead-cart Not till then"
There was great prevalence of dlsa-
bling sickness all that part Of the summer
we hung around Grand Junction and La
grange; from which posts, as well enough
TO call them, we made excursions abroad
to Cold Water, Holly Springs, and round
about only that the Great Commander aud
his faithful coadjutor Halleck, were
practlcing the art of chow not to
10 IT," we might have considered our part
If the army a school for summer practice,
80 utterly Inefficient useless and purposeless
seemed Its Operations.
HOwever,-and it has been before tedi-
lusIy referred tO,-perhaps "they builded |
more wisely than they knew" in giving US
all opportunity for observation and prac-
ice In our several departments Mine
lifered excellent privileges for analysis,
not only of the character of the men, but |
If the various and special causes of disease.
arrived nj several important conclusions
Though there was no hardship for any one,
{ was in n severe, Spartan, school. 1t
developed the peculiar mental Characteris.
les, The fact withal, that the class who
ave never been taught self reliance and
ppllcation are forever restless and unhap-
" In all situations where there Is not eX-
ltement enough for full diversion. Lead
ng "A comparatively Idle life in camp, ever
ending TO impair the health, and engender-
ng real sickness, this class, forever in
uch circumstances, haunt the surgeon.
Jnder the pretext of sickness they visit
i'm with general complaints and requests
or special favors. This would be the
haplain's field, more properly, but, as
tier the first few months of experience In
he field, the chaplains were mostly with
rawn to less restricted fields of labor, very
ew regiments enjoying the benefits of
heir services for more than brief periods.
his, often, almost necessarily, increased
ne surgeons duties, which worthy men as
haplains were well fitted to perform. His
sgitimate duties, onerous enough, were
lus very greatly augmented, unless he
'as specially punctiliOus and arbitrary.
luch depended upon the mans "heart,"
hether, not neglecting his regular duties,
g sometimes relaxed rules and grantedIin-
ulgences
PLAYING OFF.
In all armies-and in the British army
seems 70 have had its principal origin
class of impostors gets in, who, from the
rst calculate upon throwing themselves
pom the hospital whenever there is
gitimate chance or good one Tor preteXt.
was often wonder, always a curiosity,
regular sick CALI or when examining
zen claiming inability for extra duty, or y
march on the eve of movement, 10 c
)te the skillful pretenses and cunning
presented either for riding In J.