Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-08-13

GEORGE NJ. STERNBERG.
<Surgeon General of the United States
Army)
1y nursed back into life and health, or
whether they were dying of neglect un-
der the fierce southern sun.
During the civil war from 1861 to
1866 men were killed and wounded
every day, because the war was con-
tinued by day and by night. NJ n were
wounded on picket aud skirmish lines,
in reconnaissances, and in the terrific
impact of battle.
On June 3, 1864, when Gen. Grant or
dercd an assault along the entire line
at Cold Harbor, Va, 10000 men fell in
aide of 15 minutes; almost as many
men as Shafter had in his entire army
when he landed on Cuban soil.
What to do with the wounded was
problem which it became necessary
for the surgeon general of the army
TO solve early in the beginning of the
civil war; and the result was the es-
tablishment of system of field hos
pitals and general hospitals which
was well-nigh perfect in all its ap-
pontments.
The soldiers wounded at Fredericks-
burg, Charlottesville, Gettysburg,
and other battles in which the Army of
the Potomac was engaged, were taken
10 general hospitals at Fairfax Sem
mary, near Alexandria, Va, to Armory
Square, Columbian end Kalorama hos
pitals in Washington, ID. c., the Chest
nut Hill, Philadelphia, Bedloe's Island,
New York city, and Harris general
hospital, Albany, N. Y.
There were scores of vessels fitted
for the transportation of sick and
wounded sailors, which were called
hospitals, afoat, and they conveyed
the soldiers from the battlefields to
the general hospita ais. The wounded
men of the western armies were taken
10 the Cotton-Gin general hospital at
New Orleans, the Gayoso at Memphis,
No. 16 at Jeffersonville, Ind, the Jeffer'
son barracks at St. Louis, the Estes
house a t Ke okul, and the Douglass gen
eral hospital at Chicago, Ill.
AT the beginning of the civil war the
hospital system of our army was en-
trely inadequate, and thousands OF
lives were lost because the wounded
soldiers did not receive prompt as well
as skillful treatment. 1t is we'll known
that promptness is rs important as
skill in such emergencies. Because
there was not promptness at the be
ginning of the civil war many of oul
soldiers died of traumatic fever.
Men experienced in affairs in the ma
tional capital were not only surprised
but amazed when Gen. Shafter tele
graphed for hospital ship, after the
first battle of Santiago. Ordinary
common sense would seem to have die
tated to the military authorities IL
Washington the necessity of having {
hospital ship before the battle tool
place; because men are always wound
ed, if not killed, whenever a battle
takes place, and provision should have
been made for that contingency. Tht
writer has heard no utterance of any
excuse for the negligence and careless
ness which produced this state of af
fairs at Santiago.
But since the war has begun the of
flee of the surgeon general has beer
diligently engaged in making prepara
tions to meet emergencies of this char
Rcter, so that hereafter 1t cannot b.
said that thes ldiers in our army wer,
not taken care of with promptness a
we'll as with skill when prompt atten
tion is required. Provisions are prac
tically completed for taking care o
the sick and wounded. In large bodie
of men in the open field there is Away
percentage of sickness; and sick mel
require as prompt and skillful atten
tion to preserve their lives as wounded
men.
In actual warfare many men di
from relapses because they have no
proper surroundings during their con
valescence. Maj. Gen. Miles, in com
mand of the army, has taken upol
himself the responsibility of attend
ing to part of the work which shoul
have been performed by the surgeon
general. He has prepared place TO
the sick and wounded which will be
come the most complete military hos
pital in the world; and which will b
the most delightful place for'the cor
salescing soldiers upon the face o
the earth.
On the point of the Virginia PENN
sula, running out into Chesapeake bay
Is Fort Monroe. From time immemC