The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-09-14
THE BATTLEFIELD AND TIE SICK
Boston Transcript. J

A study OF lne Casualty IlSvo VI ouL
army in the Civil War goes fur towards
correcting the public impression that the
mortality of our present regiments from
disease is exceptional in the experience
OF soldiers in the field OF in training to
take the field. There are twenty men
who. ON 5reading that the First New
Hampshire sslost twenty men without
being under fire, assume that its expert
ence was horribly exceptional to one who
reflects that as it had 1918 men in line Jon
it's return to Concord it could not nave
been so severely visited by sickness as
printed reports suggested. Its ordeal was
probably not much more trying at Ch1cR-
amauga than some Of our regiments un
derwent during the war while in camp.
In many veteran regiments, notably those
that took a leading part in the treInen-
dous campaigns of 1868 and 1863. the
greatest mortality was that occasloned IN
battle. In others, especially those whose
service was limited to comparatively brief
terms and were exposed to trying climatic
conditions, the deaths from diesease
eoualled and in some cases greatly exceed
ed the number classified as killed. The
greater proportion of our present voiun-
teers have been in services little over
four months. 1t is fRirer to compare
them with the nine months regiment and
those of shorter term than with veteran
corps which went through the war.
Take the Fourth Massachusetts, Regi-
ment. for example. 1t was in the field
twice, in 1851, and in 1S62-63. During
It's first term of service, which was in
VIRGINIA for three plonths it lost one man
killed in action and none by disease. Its
second tern, of service. for nine months,
took 1t to Louisiana, where it acquitted
itself with honor at Port Hudson. Mark
the contrast between it's first experience
and it's ssound. 1t left Lakeville, Mass,
Dec. 81. 1860. and on its return was mus
tered otit af the same place, Aug. a2S, 1858.
In these nine js1onths it lost thirteen
officers and men killed in action, an 1874
enlisted men by disease. Here are l37
deaths In niue months in regiment that
had but o56 names on its rolls, officers
and men. Inasmuch as it was the Fourth
Militia when it answered the Presidents
oefi In 1861, and when it volunteered in
fs6a. lit affords fair basis for comparison
Hath regiments similarly organized in the
war lust closed. The excessive mortality
from disease in Louisiana was apparently
due to climatic conditions associated with
hard seryice, for VI was actively employed
when the Southern sprfngtfme and early
summer are bringing forth the most
malaria from the swampy lands about the
Mississippi
The Forty second, another nine months
regiment, SERVED in the Gulf States and
lost fourSkilled in action, thirty six OF
disease, while six persisted in Confederate
prisons, Subsequently it volunteered for
n hundred days, and during this service.
which was passed in Virginia, fifteen of
its enlisted men died Of disease. The
Forty Ninth, which served nine months,
and in Louisiana, was raised In Massa-
chusetts, and had tor its colonel that gal
liant. experienced o1hoer, tne iate ueneraI
William 3. Bartlett, one who was sure to
do his utmost for the welfare Of his men,
1t had S76 names on its rolls and lost
twenty seven killed in action or died of
wounds, while elghty-six persisted by dis
ease and one was reported in the final re-
turn as missing. The experience Of the
Sixtieth, which served a hundred days
and was never under fire, may be cited as
proof that camp life did not give i'm
munity then any more than 1t does now
from the ravageS OF disease. 1t was
stationed most of it's time at Indianapolis
yet ten of its enlisted men died of disease.
When we reflect that only small per
centage of those soldiers who are taken
i'll die, we can readily realize what a
sweep sickness must have had made In
the camps of our regiments IN the civil
war.
The three years regiments did not, as a
rule, suffer proportiopately from disease
as heavily as did those that served shorter
terms. Thus the First lost 1l6 killed in
action or died of wounds and SO by disease,
and in Confederate prisons. The casual
ty list of the Secand ia made up of ISL
killed in action Or died Of wounds, mis-
sing In action, SO died Of disease, and 4
died prisoners. Moreover, 1t must be
borne ~ n1sssi that these regiments dur
than slse conventional Thousand names on
their muster rolls. those IL the First bear
ing 1915, and those Of the Second 1888.
Regiments were rapidly worn down in
service, and at times recruits dad not
come in as fast as T1fn were discharged
for inability. A regiment in elghtee
monEhs' service would get down to the
strength Of three of its original companies
thus the Thirteenth went into action at
Gettysburg with only 2s4 officers and men
present. At the end of the battle but SO
officers and men were with the colors,
having been killed, 80 wounded and 90
taken prisoners. Regim ents raised after
Ut,0 Wal ubQ GOV VIGIL 1uoo tuS ooOolo yCnr
or even iater tell substantially the same
story With regard to causes Of mortality.
9he Thirty fifth lost 1S5 killed in action
or died OF wounds, missing, Ga by dis
eass, while 30 died in Confederate pris-
ona The Fifty seventh tVeterau) ost
176 In battle, had 90 missing; 50 deaths
from disease. while "a died in the enemy's
prison pens.
We think these statistics go to show that
regiments which had time to become dis
osplined and to become Injured to mill
tary life suffered the least from disease.
Probably had our war with Spain lasted
two or thuee years, some Of our volunteer
regiments which now consider that
death list Of fifteen or twenty represents
a terrible experience and one that con-
vtots the Government of criminal inca
pacity would by the end of their service
have come to regard this mortality as
only Incidental to the work of turning
raw men into soldiers
THE FUTURE OBJ ALUMINIUM.
If we leave out iron and its most i'm
portant product, steel, the greatest metal
1,,- ae H.