Year: 1862

Deuu LettcIss


The Government, voluntary associa-
tions, and individuals, here and else
where throughout the nation, are con
stantly on the alert to benefit in some
way the soldier and his family. In this
respect, it cannot be said that The Repub
lie is ungrateful and, considering the
immense field for action, and the almost
infinite variety of cases appealing for aid,
the only wonder is that there are not
more cases of apparent neglect. Among
these efforts to do good to the families Of
those who have peried lie In their coun-
try's cause is one just instituted at the
Post Office Department TO secure the
delivery to their friends Of soldiers let
iers, written at camps or headquarters.


Thousands of these letters are sent back
TO the Dead Letter Office at Washington,
having failed for one cause or another to
find the persons to whom they were di
rected. 1t is worse than useless to at
tempt TO return them like ordinary let
ters from this Office to the writers-sol-
diers in the army, some of whom have
fallen in battle or died in the hospital,
and neaaly all of whom have changed
their locality during the two or three
months that must expire between the
date of letter and its return 10 the Dead
Letter Office.


Up to within short time letters OF
this class containing no valuable inclo-
sure have been destroyed. After the
great battles that were fought in the first
six months of this year, it came to be OBJ
served that many of these stray missives
written upon the eve or at the close OF
bloody contest, some the last-written
utterances of the soldier who dared to
die for his country, and others contain
ing the last words or wishes Of fallen
comrades- contained matter of profound
interest 10 the friends or relativee al
dressed. The subject having come TO
the notice of the Third Assistant Post
master General, to whose bureau the
Dead Letter Office belongs, he manifest
ed MS usual active sympathy with the
cause Of the soldier by directing that a
second effort should be made to deliver
letters OF this class TO the persons ad
dressed.


The process is now going on as an ex-
pertinent, with the hope that il may
prove successful. Each day the camp
letters. containing no valuable inclosure,
when found in the opening room, are
placed in the hands OF a clerk who exam
ines them, and selects all that can be
with propriety re sent to the Post Oiiices
originally addressed. Special pains are
taken 10 save those addressed to father
mother. sister, brother, wife. or other rel
atives. and they are again sent TO the 10
cal Post Offices. with descriptive list
to be posted up for one month, contain
ing not only the names OF the persons ad
dressed, but of the writer's and the place.
where the letters were written. The To-
cal Postmasters are also charged to us,
"all diligence 10 secure the delivery o
the letters to persons authorized to re
ceiye them" La this way it is hoped
that some further record will be kept o
the unnamed heroes that are every da,
falling in this mighty struggle for ma
tons life.


1t is proper to add, both for the bene
fit of the public and the Department
that il is quite useless 10 send inquiries
here respecting such letters. as they can
not be answered No record is kept o
them, and those not delivered at the 10
cal offices within month after being
posted, are returned to the Dead .Lette
Office the second time to be DESTROYED
Any one looking for such letter shoul,
watch the posted list at the office wher,
it is expected, and il not found there.
will be useless to look anywhere else
These lists aud letters are sent 10 tn