The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-12-15

| Tstszyx the country boy
~ and the city boy
during the Civil War.
The Doctor makes some good points.
but he don't give us statistics but any
how we take pleasure I'm publishing his
letter which Is as follows:
Editor The News:
"Under the head OF "The Growler' OF
Dec. s, l notice your reply to my letter OF
Nov. 3, relative to the physical endurance
between the country and city man in COM
batting and withstanding camp life expo
sure during the Civil War.
First, thanking the editor for his court
eous and liberal manner in which he re-
piled 10 my article. / must again differ i'm
opinion with him I'm relation to war sta
tistics in support Of any claim that as .
rule mon reared on farms. exposed TO the
rays OF the hot sun I'm harvest fields and
seed time; the cold weather and storms
OF the winter and spring season, when
! stock must be fed and cared for wood TO
be cut and hauled for fuel. and grain and
produce must be marketed regardless Of
conditions Of the weather. all these out
door exposures incidental TO camp life
ntted the farmer or country man for the
camp life and battlefield with all their
outdoor exposures. under the rays OF n
scorhing sun OF the hot climate OF the
South, while the city clerk. bartender. ho-
accustomed To more indoor work shelter
ed from fierce storms, hot or cold weath.
er. with their muscles more relaxed, their
hands less hardened and their physical
strength not so well developed as have
the country men. Take a young clerk of
some dry goods or notion store. with his
SOFT. white and tender hands I'm compari-
son TO the bony hands OF the hired hand
or farmers SON. who were exposed to all
kinds OF weather, winds. heat and cold.
ana put him In the ranks as n soldier
with the kid-gloved soft-hand CITY NOR
chant or dry goods clerk under marching
orders on the field OF battle. under the
burning rays OF a hot southern sun anu
then see which one Of these two soldiers
were best fitted for these long marches
and trying exposures OF a camp life. and
] can assure you from practical expert
ence that the soft-handed city man would
either fall out by the wayside or. as they
many times did. become sun struck and
drop dead. even In their ranks as was
the case at the battle OF Antietam. Md.
I'm the fall Of 1862, that was fought he
tween the armies OF Gen. Lee. and Cen
Mcclellan on the banks Of the Potomac
river.
Il was there and speak from personal
knowledge when 7 say that these city |
chaps were not-in- land Mere amnnR |
the very hrst 10 give out or succumb 10 |
me influence OF hot southern sun or |
camp life exposure. / do not wish TO |
detract one iota of merit from every Ioval |
volunteer or soldier, whether he be a city |
or country lad, IL matters not To me- but
| only speak the avowed facts when | |
say that the hardened country boy could
and did endure the hardship of the Civil
war better than the great majority Of city
men, from the fact that country men
were more exposed TO outdoor work. while
city men were more used TO indoor work
Besides this fact city men were more ex-
posed 10 the drink habit, dissipation late
hours nj theatres balls and even around
the card table In gambling dens and thus
Injured their physical and mental powers
and were not so well suited to endure the
hardships of soldiers life as were far
mers, seamen. lumbermen. railroad en-
ployes, mechanics, etc, who were ac-
TO outdoor exposure and general
hard labor and physical endurance. thus |
rendering them more fit 10 endure the
outdoor exposure and hardships OF camp
life Not but what we had as brave |
men from city life as from the country
employment rendered them less At 20
the hardshps of outdoor ex-
posure OF changeable weather.
"Our most hardy men OF the past age
were reared on farms I'm early life. many
times I'm log cabins at that. as were |
James Buchanan. Lincoln. Garfield'Web-
stcr. Hayes. Horace Greeley. and n score
OF Others too Numerous 20 mention, and |
your honorable servant was born on n |
farm In Bradford county. Pa, amid the |
hills and valleys OF the old Keystone |
state. I'm which old log cabin he first |
learned the lessons OF life, to love the |
flowers. streams. meadows
and woodland. with It's screechy owl its |
cooling dove and all the beauties of ma
ture that make life so dear. and memory |
OF the past SO sweet. and he can exclaim
with the poet:
THAT dear old log house.
My chlldhood's hallowed home
orts ~ de 70,
Though many a year hast flown"
And In my conclusion. let me say to all |
old eX-soldiers OF the civil or Cuban war
whether on the tented field or I'm tho bat
ties van.
THE Attest place for man 70 die. Is
where he dfog for n1Ur1v. urryi -rrny-f fsuTf |
bless all OF our living or dead soldiers
who so bravely fought and even died that
he Union OF our states might be for
sver preserved In purity patriotism and
'qual rights TO all. and favorltism TO
lone.
DIR. w II. GRAY. Ex- Soldier OF Civil
War
Michigan City. Ind. Dec II. 1905"
All the Growler has TO say Is
horse is stronger than man, but
ust start them both out on foot from
Providence TO Chicago. and the man will
ct there first
The country boy had the stamina and !
is regular eating and sleeping habit
TODD by him for a time. but when priva-
ons came. his constitution used as he
'as 10 stable diet. could not stand tho
urtailment and he weakened under H.
o the city boy very used To Irregular !
ours and Irregular meals. Il was an old
tory. and he kept up under IT, As TO :
landing the hot sun. why the city boy :
as used to Ito the heat. where fhe :
)untry boy on the farm could always $
et the breeze, 90 cut of from the CITY
hap by the buildings !
In the doctors personal experiences he :
ay have found that the country boy y
as the slayer. but let us have statisticsl \
hL-J c<oo +