The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-05
.; Western millst. GOOSE; common mIIlet,
THE ARMY GRUMBLERS..
A Few Remarks from veteran of the
Civil War.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
The topic of greatest interest at present
seems to be the suffering and sickness of
soldiers incident to camp life and the mis-
management of officers in command" So
far little has been said except to abuse
somebody and to shift the blame on some
one else. A careful examination of the
Facts, or even a careful reading of the let
ters OF those complaining so loudly will con-
vince any one that the conditions are grossly
exaggerated. The complaints from some of
our Hoosier boys in camp of their great
hardships are simply laughable, and to the
survivors of iS61-65 they are disgusting.
1t has been said that 20 per cent, of the
present volunteer army are Sons of veter-
ans" If such is the fact they are certainly
degenerate sons of iliustrious sires" The
soldier of 'SS has no bedtick the veteran
could have supplied him with woodticks in
abundance. The soldier of '9S has to eat
bareback instead of soft bread; l have
known of cases where boxes of bareback had
to be carefully guarded to keep veterans
from stealing them. The '9S boy has to
sleep on boards and under shelter tents; his
father slept on the ground under tie blue
sky Many soldiers of 1876 did not have
tents of any kind from the fall of Atlanta
plain? If they did they kept it to them
selves No long letters to the daily papers
whining about their abuses were even
dreamed of. What of the veterans in Gen.
| Hoods army? They subsisted almost en-
tlreiy on half-ripened corn gathered from the
helds while on the march from Atlanta to
Decatur, Franklin and Nashville They
were on the march or on the fighting line
every day. Are the sons of such men MAX
ing complaint? l think not neither do | be-
lleVe IL IS the son of the Union veteran
who are not sons of veterans
Many regiments We're composed of state
militia. These soldiers were recruited in
| times of peace, and, like the home guards,
We're not expecting actual warfare at the
Tune OF enlis tment, and it is not to be OK
pected that they could or would become
ideal soldiers. BY those who enlisted at the
beginning OF the war actual service was eX-
pected, and, whether to charge a fort or
garrison a city, their duty is plain, and if
they are soldiers it will be performed. If
they are babies they will whine and cry to
come home, write letters and circulate petit
tons. Ask any veteran of 1876 his opinion
OF our present army, and he will tell you
| that he is proud of their record on the fight
Ing line but ashamed of their lack of SOL
dlerly qualities since the ended. No one
DOUBTS that these same soldiers would
make good fighters. but fighting is not all
| of soldier life
Complaint has been made of the medical
department. Most of it has been very UNI
| just. Still there were abuses In looking
| over the list of names comprising the med
1cal corps one is struck with the number
of competent surgeons in the army and the
| few. extremely few, santarians. What our
army needs now especially is santarians,
| not surgeons. Sanitary science is a pro-
round study and all the knowledge of sur
gerry and medicine combined cannot COM
| penSate for a lack of this study Look at
| the case of the great DIR. Sem. AS a sur
geon he has few equals and no superiors in
! this or any other country. He has been
paid the highest professional honors both
| at home and abroad. But as a sanitarian
| he is wofully lacking. A DR.. Hurry would
| be of much greater use to the soldier i'll
camp than DR.. Sem.
We are now expecting some of the regi-
metns home: possibly they will be camped
at the fair grounds at Indianapolis and [
wish to call attention to the late camp Of
| the Observation-Disclosures at Camp
Mount. l noticed in the Journal that said
camp was selected after careful inVeStiga-
| respect for the sanitary knowledge that
would locate camp in such surroundings.
| Typhoid fever would certainly find its way
| into any regiment camped on grounds as
| easily overf1owed as these. When there is
an abundance of fine camping sites all over
| to locate a camp in such dangerous sur
| roundingS. sanitarian not consulted
| in this matter. This matter should not be
| overlooked, and if troops are to be kept any
| length of time in camp. for heavens sake
! put them on higher ground, where they
| can have adequate drainage. The writer
| truly sympathizeS with the soldier endur-
| ing the hardships of army life Any of it
| is hard enough. but you must endure with
| out complaint to be entitled to our admra-
| ton. EX-SOLDIER.
Columbus, Ind, Sept g.