The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-23


were distributed to other troops: some of
them were lost by food on the Kanawha
river. Morton was emphatic and bitter in
his complaints Of the negligence and incom-
potency which confronted him at every
point. He sent his private secretary, Hollo-
way. in search of the coats. then his COM.
missary general, Asahel Stone. 1t was not
until Oct. z, after nearly six weeks of con-
tinuous efforts, that the supplies finally
reached the troops in West Virginia. Nor
ton was determined that the soldiers and
the people should know how these delays
occurred so the Geographic correspondence
was given to the press His efforts to re-
proval. Even the indianapolis Sentinel gave
him unstinted praise"
CARE OF MEN IN THE FIELD.
Toward the end of November 1861, Nor
ton appointed a number of financial agents
to visit the Indiana regiments, receive the
funds which soldiers wished to send to their
families and deposit these in the Branch
Bank, at indianapolis, subject to draft.
The good work accomplished in the dis
tribution of the supplies furnished by the
patriotic women Of Indiana had satisfied
Morton that a permanent organization
should be created for this purpose, and he
decided to establish a military agency.
DR.. William Hannaman was made general
agent and took charge of the receipt and
distribution of supplies. Morton thus de-
ScribeS the growth of this organization in
us message 10 the Legislature or 1868:
= i very early adopted the plan of send
ing agents to look after the condition, and
as far as possible to supply the wants Of
the Indiana troops These agents had their
instructions to follow in the track of our
armies, to pick up the disabled who might
have fallen by the wayside, to visit the hos
pitals, report the names of the sick. wound
ed and dead, and afford relief wherever it
could be afforded: to inform the state au-
thorities what kind of supplies were needed
and where; to visit the troops in the field
nd
aid in having their requisitions for supplies
promptly nlled. THESE agents have gen.
orally performed their duty well, and be-
lleve, have been the instruments of saving
the lives of hundreds of our gallant SOL
diers, and of relieving a vast amount of
suffering and restitution. Many of their
reports are descriptive of sufferings sor-
rows and death that would melt the stout
est heart and show better than can be
learned in any other way the dreadful hor4
rors of war The labors of these
agents We're not confined to any
a particular r,ra duties but extended to
might need. They aided in procuring fur
louehs for the sick and wounded and dis
charges for such as would not be able to
the expense of the State for such as had not
means of getting home; in receiving the SOL
diers money and distributing it to their
families; in hunting up the descriptive rolls
for such as had been long confined in hos
pitfalls, but for want of their rolls could not
be paid or discharged; in visiting battle
ueIuS, bringing nome the wounded and dis
trlbuting sanitary stores. In some cases
directed the chartering Of steamboats, for
the transportation of the sick and wounded
and in general instructed my agents to in
cur such expenses as We're absolutely neces-
sary to enable them to execute their mis-
sion. But Notwithstanding all that has been
done, l have to lament that the efforts
have come far short of the mighty demand
that much suffering has gone unrelieved
and that many of our brave sons have Ian
guished and died among strangers, in desti-
tuition and neglect, with no friend present
to soothe their last hours, or mark the spot
where their ashes Sleep
Morton also employed at Washington
Louisville, Nashville Memphis, Cairo and
Columbus, n.y., permanent agents, who
rented houses where sanitary goods were
Kept, and other agents at Philadelphia, ST.
Louis. Keokuk and New York, for the re-
lief Of such Indiana soldiers as were carried
TO those points.
THE SANITARY COMMISSION.
I'm February, 1862, Morton established the
Indiana sanitary commission under the
charge Of DR.. Hannaman, as military agent
and Alfred Harrison, Of Indianapolis, as
treasurer. Collections were made by solicit
ing agents and auxiliary societies. and the
distribution of the supplies was made
through the military agency. The Indiana
troops were the first care of this commits
sion, but applications for relief from others
were not overlooked after they were pro-
NluSu lCr. InlS separate action by a single
State provoked unfavorable criticism else
where. 1t was said of this organization that
It was selfish that it provoked jealousy
soldiers of other States. and thus interfered
with the discipline of the army.
But the Indiana commission did more
complished by mere cooperation in
the work of the United States
s nor Moyrton ee con MISS and Goyer
first for those whom his own exertions had
called into the field.
This. Indiana sanitary commission was
or deVising ways and means to improve it's
efnciency. Sulgrove. the editor Of the Jour
nal, tells us that often the last thing he
would do before going to press would be to
trim up for publication one Of Morton s
appeals for sanitary help, for which the
governor had left rough memoranda in his
AT no time were Morton's exertions for
the welfare oflthe troops more earnest than
aIter the battle of Shiloh. On April 9, only
two days after that sanguinary struggle, he
chartered steamers to bring home all the
wounded who could be moved. On the fol-
lowing day he sent force of sixty sur
take care of the sick and wounded on their
ARRIVAL. They came In large numbers upon
the hospital boats thus suddenly impro-
vlsed, and the condition of the men i'm
proved greatly on the way home Morton
himself went to the battlefield and on sew
eral subsequent occasions visited the army.
Gen. w. L. Sherman: He remained with
us during our advance on Corinth in Nav.
1867, frequently came to my bivouc on the
extreme right. and rode with me during
the day. He was a close observer of the
practical details of camp life, sat his horse
Well and was as impatient as the rest of us
at our slow and methodical, if not timid
advance. We were short of wagons to bring
from Pittsburg Landing the necessary sup
plies, and he wanted to send to Indiana for
one thousand wagons and teams The idea
OF war operations being delayed by the
want of means easily procurable was a.
thorn in his side, and l believe that had his
advice been needed would have taken
VlckSburg that summer and turned east
ward to do the work which had to be done
two years afterward. But the time was not
yet ripe: We had to endure three more
we at the front always felt the more con-
fident because we knew that Oliver p Nor
ton was at his post in Indianapolis multi
plying his efforts in the days of reverses
and cheering us on In success
Morton also superintendent the estab-
hshment at indianapolis OF the City Hospi-
tai, under the care Of Drs. Kitchen and
Jameson.
Indianapolis was a rendezvous for re-
turning and departing troops. They needed
place for rest and refreShment At first
quarters were procured at different hotels.
and an agent was placed at the railway
station to attend the arrival and departure
of trains and furnish meals and lodging.
But in June 1862, Morton determined to es-
tablish permanent quarters for soldiers
passing through the city, and at his in
stance the federal government paid for the
erection h,,fldT1cr GROVE :, -