The record-union., 1898-09-06
CONDITIONS NOW AND THEN.

In view of the Infamous assaults be-
ing made upon the Administration
by the Democratic and sensational
press, and the frightful stories pub
lished in regard to sickness and suffer
ing in the various military camps, the
Keokuk Qa.) Gate City, has gone to
the trouble Of looking up the history Of
the civil war and making comparison
of the conditions prevailing then and
now. The facts disclosed will open the
eyes of those who have been misled by
the horrible tales printed in the anti
Administration papers. Let those who
really wish to know the facts read
these figures:
It is greatly to be regretted that there
should be so many cases Of sickness
. among our Iowa boys, and that the
State should be called to mourn the
loss OF any of it's brave sons. But dis
ease and death are inseparable from
military campaigns. This fact was
powerfully impressed upon the people
Of Iowa and of every other State during
the civil war. The experience of the
Second Iowa Infantry during the early
months Of that memorable struggle is
a case in point. It left Keokuk in June,
1861, 1000 strong. Four months later
half or more Of the men composing the
regiment were sick. Yet it was in
Missouri all the time, and Missouri is
accounted a healthy State. The exper-
ience Of the Nineteenth Iowa was still
more disastrous. It left Keokuk Sep
tember 4, 1862, with 1000 men. De-
cember 7th Of the same year - three
months later-it fought the battle Of
Prairie Grove with only 400 men. The
other 600 members Of the regiment for
the most part were sick In hospital at
Sprir gfield, Mo, in one of the healthi-
est sections Of that State. The regi-
ment suffered a loss Of 1877 killed and
wounded in that battle, and stacked
arms at it's conclusion with 135 mus
kets The Eighteenth Iowa went to
Southwest Missouri in August, 1862
In December it was sent to Springfield,
Mo-, to do garrison duty, with scarcely
any men fit for duty. The Thrtieth
Iowa went south October %, 1862.
Three months later 800 men were sick
Company A had only fourteen men fit
for duty.
On August 24th-Wednesday Of last
week-the Ftfty-second Iowa Regiment
at Chickamauga had 1876 men sick out
of total Of about 1900, according to
official report made to General Breck-
inridge, the General in command there.
Since August 1st there have been a to-
tai OF five deaths in the regiment At
Jacksonville, August 21st, according
to General Fftzhugh Lees report, there
were seventy members Of the Ffftieth
Iowa Regiment in hospital, and sixty
four sick IN quarters. making a total
Of 134 out Of a total of 1,015 enlisted
men. The deaths during the preceding
thirty days numbered six. The Forty
ninth Iowa, in camp at the same place,
had twelve sick in hospital and twenty
seven in quarters on the same date, a
total of thirty nine out of ]. .2J7.
These figures show that the preva-
lence of disease among our troops at
the present time is by no means un-
precedented. In the Fifty-second Reg
irnent at the present time less than II
per cent Of the men are sick; In the
Flftieth, less than ii per cent. in the
Forty-ninth, only a little over per
cent. That is too many, but the Thir-
tleth Iowa had SO per cent. Of its mem
bership III at one time; the Second
Iowa so per cent, and the Nineteenth
Iowa 60 per cent. The present condi-
tion Of health of our Iowa troops is
bad enough, certainly, but it isn't near
ly so bad as conditions were in 1861
and 1862.
II is probable that the condition of
the soldiers from the other States is
practically the same as of those from
Iowa, and the percentage given will
apply to all. No intelligent person dis
putes the fact that there is a great
deal Of sickness and suffering among
the gallant men in camp, but there is
an evident determination on the part
of the Democratic press and politicians
not only to exaggerate it, but to make
Il appear that it is something unusual
and entirely the fault Of the Admins
tration. This is not true. War Is
no summer holiday excursion, and the
sooner people get over that idea the
better it will be for all. Such suffering
and distress as has been encountered
NV our soldiers in field and camp are
The inevitable result of the conditions
under which 1t was necessary to con-
duct this war
Florida, where some OF the camps
ware located, Is not an agreeable sum-