Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-08-29
CONDITION OF VERMONT TROOPS

We copy the following article, re-
garding the condition of the Vermont
troops when they reached Burlington
from Chickamauga, from the Vermont
Wdtchman:
A member of the Wdtchn,dn staff
was at Fort Ethan Allen last Sunday
when the First Vermont Regiment ar
rived from Chickamauga Park after
journey Of more than so hours. By
electrics, steam cars, and vehicles of
every description fully 1000 people
gathered at the fcrt in the early hours
of the morning and waited patiently
until half past one, when the hospital
train, bearing 214 men and the dead
body of Corporal Harry B. Lamson of
Barre, who died of spinal meningitis
en- route, was slowly and carefully
switched to the side track on the
ground. Twenty one of the men were
dangerously sick. They had TO be
carried to the hospital on stretchers,
while the others were able to ride to
the barracks near by in ambulances
and four horse wagons. AS the men
were carried from the train or feebly
alighted the feelings of the thousands
of spectators could not be restrained.
Women and men wept like children,
While in response to piteous appeals
for water from the sufferers, scores of
men threw off their coats and hur
ried brimming pals, buckets and
pitchers of cool spring water to
parched lips. Not cheer was heard.
The, appearance of the men was a
shock and surprise to every one.
Had they just returned from six
months starvation in Spanish prisons
they could not have been more en-
feebled Or emaciated. Their sunken
cheeks, CLASSY eyes and sallOw, un-
healthy compilations told more ell
oquently than words what they had
suffered. It took nearly two hours
to transfer the occupants of this train
to barracks and hospital, where a
corps of physicians and trained nurses
at once began relieving the wants of
the men. Assistant Surgeon Joseph
w. jackson of Barre was in charge.
Fifteen of his 80 assistants and nurses
were prostrated with disease and the
strain to which he had been subjected
since the train left camp, with loss of
sleep, had left their marks upon him.
Of the sick men with whom
the reporter talked spoke in terms Of
the warmest praise of DR.. jackson.
With scant food and little sleep he
was constantly watching the suffer
ers, going many times each day from
one end of the train to the other. and
with medicine and cheerful words,
doing much to keep up the spirits of
the men. The death of young Lam
son was keenly felt by DR.. Jackson, as
they were personal friends. In con-
versation with the Wdtchnldn's rep
resentative, DR.. Jackson said he had |
seen no water in camp that he would |
offer to a horse or dog in Vermont, |
and to the impure water he charges |
very much of the prevalent sickness
and disease in the regiment. The |
train bearing the first battalion, made |
up. of companies M Of Burlington, A |
Of Rutland, and @ of Brandon. arrived |
at the fort shortly after O'Clock Sun
day afternoon. Cheers from a thous- |
and throats with waving hats and |
haEdkerchiefs greeted these boys as |
the train was run on the siding. They |
quickly formed up, stacked arms and |
marched to the canteen where Quar- |
ter Master Generrl Gilmore and Ca |
fee and sandwiches in abundance for |
all. The stock and baggage train ar
rived at 10 O'Clock, and the two re- |
naming sections shortly before mid
night. Early Monday morning the
regiment went into camp on the State |
muster ground, from which they took |
their departure in May. Nearly all |
the sick are convalescent. Bracing
air, an abundance of pure water, and
food are working wonders |
among them.