Doc. 40.

A SOLDIER'S RESPONSE.

The subjoined communication reached us from the gallant

officer whose signature it bears, and who, from a remote

post of public duty, utters a voice of no uncertain sound in this day of civil trial. Such an utterance from such a source needs no word of introduction or commendation at our hands, as the reader will sufficiently learn from its perusal that the writer holds a pen as brilliant and as loyal as the sword he wields in the service of his country. Would that the trumpet-notes of his fervid appeal might yet reach the ears and move the hearts of his fellow-citizens in the great Commonwealth of which he is a native!-National Intelligencer.

FORT CRITTENDEN, Utah, June 6, 1861.

I have seen the call of the Virginia Convention on all natives of the State in the army and navy, and have been the subject of other more pointed appeals.

The respect which I owe to the opinions of the citizens of my native State demands of me an answer-an exposition of my circumstances and views of duty.

I belong to a district of the State which, I just learn, has voted for Union. At fourteen years of age I was severed from Virginia; the National Government adopted me as its pupil and future defender; it gave me education and a profession, and I then made a solemn oath to bear true allegiance to the United States of America, and to "serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies or opposers whatsoever." This oath and honor alike forbid me to abandon their standard at the first hour of danger.

In the national service I have been for thirtyfour years a Western man, and if my citizenship be localized, a citizen of Missouri.

My military profession has not prevented attentive observation of political affairs, and I have had of late the vantage ground of a calm position. Thus I have formed strong political opinions, which must have had their weight in deciding my course.

Now, what was the true status of a great sectional struggle when the Virginia Convention resolved upon revolution?

For the first time in our national history her citizens enjoyed a legal right to settle with their slave property on every acre of the public domain; and this had just been recognized for the first time by the Republican party in their votes for their territorial acts of Congress. If a barren right, it was too confessedly a mere point of honor. And slavery was recognized by local law, with the acquiescence of that party, in all the territory south of the old Missouri compromise line.

The "Personal Liberty" acts of some Northern States-misrepresented, but really disloyal and irritating-were being reconsidered; some had already been modified or repealed.

Ied at Chicago with unwonted facility by an officer appointed by the new Administration.

But one patent fact remains: The Confederate States had committed an overt act of aggressive war upon the nation! they threatened its Capital, and the President had called for militia for public defence.

Years ago public men at the South began to despair of their habitual control in the future of the power of the National Government; they were irritated at this prospect, and unreasonably, for it was to be the legitimate result of our political system, and of sectional institutions. But the politicians of the Cotton States had long familiarized themselves with ultra ambitious schemes; they were committed, especially in South Carolina, beyond any dignity of retraction to vain State rights theories and threats of State action; they embraced wild, dazzling, but unscrupulous and impracticable designs; they resolved to rule, if only amid the ruins of their country; they conspired; they had influence to sever the great national party; they remorselessly turned their backs on their constant and sorely pressed friends at the North and West; they forced an election by a minority of the people, and then gladly raised the cry of sectional domination, and of imaginary injuries and evils to follow. They took advantage of their own wrong, and pronounced a political crime the success of a sectional party, to which they had deliberately contributed.

Then the oligarchy of South Carolina, (a State not very homogeneous, politically or socially, with any other part of the nation,) with contemptuous disregard of the dignity and of the counsels of their neighbors, coolly set themselves to convert a great excitement into temporary madness. They applied the torch to the temple of free Government. South Carolina assumed the bad eminence of leader in revolution and ruin. Thus aided, the arts of demagogues and the violent energies of rebellious spirits elsewhere dragged or dragooned the reluctant voiceless inhabitants of six other States into her train. Ever since the leaders have exerted every art to gain over the "Border States," to save themselves from failures; until desperately they lit the torch of war; then Virginia fell into the snare. In a secondary position, she is made a tool-a fender against collision-a battle-ground. When the war tocsin sounded, her Catilines, her mad youths, her city-mobs, drove excitement to frenzy, and a great Union majority in the Convention was overcome. Thus recklessly, for a time, the temperate voice of duty has been drowned, and the good old State may have been plunged into the darkness of moral and physical desolation-the hell of a bitter civil, it may be a servile, war.

I owe Virginia little, my country much. She has intrusted me with a distant command, and I shall remain under her flag as long as it waves the sign of the National Constitutional Government.

In these far distant mountains I could only offer patriotic prayers for the result of the vote on the 23d of May. I trust that reason may have then recovered her sway-that the voice of a majority may not have been restrained by bayonets; that sounding above the clamor of anarchy, and still respected, it may have pronounced the loyalty and just attitude of the State. P. ST. GEORGE COOKE,

Colonel Second Regiment United States Dragoons.

Doc. 41.

Company A, Bennington.-Jos. H. Walbridge, Captain; Newton Stone, First Lieutenant; William H. Cady, Second Lieutenant. Company B, Castleton.-James Hope, Captain; John Howe, First Lieutenant; Enoch E. Johnson, Second Lieutenant. Company C, Brattleboro.-Ed. A. Todd, Captain; J. S. Tyler, First Lieutenant; F. A. Prouty, Second Lieutenant. Company D, Waterbury.-Chas. Dillingham, Captain; W. W. Henry, First Lieutenant; C. C. Gregg, Second Lieutenant. Company E, Tunbridge.Richard Smith, Captain; Lucius Whitney, First Lieutenant; Orville Bixby, Second Lieutenant. Company F, Montpelier.-F. V. Randall, Captain; W. A. Phillips, First Lieutenant; H. F. Crossman, Second Lieutenant. Company G, Burlington.-John T. Drew, Captain; David L. Sharpley, First Lieutenant; Aaron H. Weed, Second Lieutenant. Company H, Fletcher.Wm. T. Burnham, Captain; Jerome B. Case, First Lieutenant; Chester K. Leach, Second Lieutenant. Company J, Ludlow.-Volney S. Fulman, Captain; Sherman W. Parkhurst, First

THE following is a list of the officers: Dudley Donnelly, Colonel; Edwin F. Brown, Lieutenant-Colonel; James R. Mitchell, Major; Chas. P. Sproat, Adjutant; C. L. Skeels, Quartermaster; Rev. C. H. Platt, Chaplain; Dr. Helmer, Surgeon; Dr. Reagan, Assistant Surgeon.

CAPTAINS AND COMPANIES.

Company A-(Lockport).-Captain, E. W. Cook; Company B-(Lockport).-Captain. W. W. Brush; Company C-(Lockport).-Captain, W. H. H. Mapes; Company D-(Medina). Captain, Erwin S. Bowen; Company E(Canandaigua).-Captain, T. Fitzgerald; Company F-(Batavia).-Captain, Charles H. Fenn; Company G-(Albion).-Captain, David Hardee; Company H-(Monticello).-Captain, John Walker, Jr.; Company I-(Niagara Falls).Captain, T. P. Gould; Company K-(Lockport). -Captain, H. H. Page.

-N. Y. Evening Post, June 26.

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THE SECOND VERMONT REGIMENT. THE following is a list of the officers: Colonel-Henry Whiting, St. Clair, Mich.; Lieut.-Colonel-Geo. J. Stannard, St. Albans, Vt.; Major-Chas. H. Joyce, Northfield; Adjutant-Guilford S. Ladd, Bennington; Quartermaster-Perley P. Pitkin, Montpelier; Surgeon-Newton H. Ballou, Burlington; Assistant-Surgeon-Walter B. Carpenter, Burlington; Sergeant-Major-Wm. H. Guinan, Montpelier; Quartermaster's Sergeant-Wm. J. Cain, Rutland; Commissary-Sergeant-Lauriston H. Stone, Stowe; Chaplain-Rev. C. B. Smith,

tenant. Company K, Vergennes.-Solon Eaton, Captain; Amasa S. Tracy, First Lieutenant; J. M. Hoyt, Second Lieutenant.

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SECOND REGIMENT WIS. VOLUNTEERS. THE following are the officers of the regiment: Field and Staff-Colonel, S. Park Coon; Lieutenant-Colonel, H. W. Peck; Major, Duncan McDonald; Quartermaster, H. E. Pame; Adjutant, E. M. Hunter; Aid to Colonel, rank of Captain, Henry Landes; Surgeon, Dr. Lewis; Mate, Dr. Russell.

Captains of Companies.-Captain Colwell, La Grosse Light Guard; Captain Mansfield, Portage Light Guard; Captain Bouck, Oshkosh Volunteers; Captain Stevens, Citizens' Guard ; Captain Strong, Belle City Rifles; Captain Allen, Miners' Guard; Captain McKee, Grant County Rifles; Captain Randolph, Randall Guard; Captain Ely, Janesville Volunteers; and Captain Langworthy, Wisconsin Rifles.

-National Intelligencer, June 26.

Doc. 44.

THE SANITARY COMMISSION. ADDRESS TO THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE undersigned, having been duly appointed by the Secretary of War, with the approval of the President of the United States, a commission to inquire into the sanitary condition of the volunteer regiments engaged in the service of the Government, and to take measures to remedy defects therein, by recommendations addressed to the proper military authorities,

and otherwise, beg leave respectfully and earnestly to ask the support and coöperation of their fellow-citizens throughout the country, in the work thus confided to them.

MORTALITY OF TROOPS.

Its magnitude and importance are, unfortunately, self-evident. As a general rule, four soldiers die of diseases incident to camp life for one that falls in battle. Such is the average mortality among regular troops. Among volunteers it will be found much larger. We all remember the frightful history of the British campaign in the Crimea. If such was the suffering and loss of soldiers organized and supplied under an established system, with officers educated in their profession and gen erally qualified by experience to take care of their men, what is like to be the fate of an army hurriedly levied in communities that have enjoyed the profoundest peace for generations, and whose officers are mostly without practical knowledge of the dangers to which masses of men are exposed by fatigue, climate, unwholesome food, and other perils of camp life, and of the sanitary measures by which these dangers may be met and diminished?

IMPORTANCE OF SANITARY REGULATIONS.

Such sanitary measures, prudently devised and thoroughly executed, will do more to economize the lives of our soldiers, and thus save the nation men, money, and time, than could be effected by any improvement in the arms put into their hands.

For example, the difference between wellcooked digestible food and ill-cooked indigestible food consumed by a regiment during three months of actual service in the field, is equivalent to a difference of at least forty per cent. of its available strength at the end of that period. The quality of the water it drinks is equally important. But no systematic provision has yet been made for supplying our newlylevied troops with either properly cooked food or properly purified water. They have already begun to sicken from the want of both. The men and apparatus required to supply these urgent wants will cost money, but our neglect to provide them will cost us tenfold more in the end. Common prudence, therefore, and mere selfish economy demand attention to the subject, even if we ignore the impulse of patriotism and the Christian duty of caring for the health and life of those we send into the field to defend our national existence.

SYSTEMATIC PRECAUTIONS.

Many other subjects, equally important, demand prompt action, and are to be included in the operations of this commission. The clothing supplied the volunteer regiments-their tents, hats, and quarters, their hospitals, their supply of nurses, the purity of the medicines supplied them, the general sanitary regulations, (as to ventilation of tents and quarters, for in

stance, drainage of camp sites, the use of disinfectants, bathing, and personal cleanliness,) to be enforced as part of our military systemprecautions against diseases to be adopted in particular localities; these and many other points demand investigation and action with the least possible delay. If the commission shall be enabled fully to execute the work it contemplates, and hopes to accomplish, it will save at least twenty thousand out of every hundred thousand men raised for the war from perishing uselessly, ingloriously, and unnecessarily from mere want of the systematic precautions which ought to be provided (and which can be provided at a cost comparatively insignificant) against the perils of exposure and disease.

AGENTS.

Though the members of the commission gladly serve without fee or reward, they require the aid of their fellow-countrymen to enable them to execute what they have undertaken. Permanent salaried agents at Washington, and other great military centres, are indispensable. These must be men of high grade, possessing not only scientific education, but efficiency in business, and a talent for details. Funds will also be required for expenses of travelling, printing, and transportation, and for other purposes.

FUNDS Needed.

For these objects the undersigned appeal, with perfect confidence, to the liberality of their fellow-citizens. For obvious reasons they are reluctant to make application to Congress for an appropriation. It is proper to add that the commission was appointed by the War Department, on the suggestion of the medical bureau at Washington. It originated, in fact, from the manifest inability of the authorities heretofore intrusted with the sanitary charge of our little army to provide for its wants when suddenly increased to hundreds of thousands. An amount of work simply impracticable was thus thrown upon the medical bureau, and made the appointment of volunteer aid absolutely indispensable.

POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

The commission has every reason to believe that it is honored with the full confidence of Government, and will receive its cordial coöperation and support. Rooms have been assigned it in the Treasury Building, Washington. It is vested with full authority by the surgeongeneral of the army to inspect and examine all posts, camps, and hospitals, and holds the order of the Secretary of War that all persons in the employ of Government, respect and further the inquiries and objects of the commission to the utmost of their ability. Mr. Frederick Law Olmsted, of New York, consents to serve as its resident secretary and general agent at Washington. Donations and subscriptions in aid of its object are earnestly solicited. They should be addressed to its treasurer, George T. Strong, 68 Wall Street, New York.

HENRY W. BELLOWS, President, New York.
Prof. A. D. BACHE, Vice-Pres., Washington.
ELISHA HARRIS, M. D., Cor. Secretary, N. Y.
GEO. W. CULLUM, U. S. A., Washington.
ALEXANDER E. SHIRAS, U. S. A., Washington.
ROBT. C. WOOD, M. D., U. S. A., Washington.
WM. H. VAN BUREN, M. D., New York.
WOLCOTT GIBBS, M. D., New York.
SAMUEL G. HOWE, M. D., Boston.
CORNELIUS R. AGNEW, M. D., New York.
J. S. NEWBERRY, M. D., Cleveland.
GEO. T. STRONG, New York.
FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED, New York.

Doc. 45.

SKIRMISH AT PATTERSON'S CREEK. COL. WALLACE'S OFFICIAL REPORT.

To General McClellan ::

CUMBERLAND, June 27.

I

I HAVE been accustomed to sending my mounted pickets, thirteen men in all, to different posts along the several approaches to Cumberland. Finding it next to impossible to get reliable information of the enemy yesterday, united the thirteen, and directed them, if possible, to proceed to Frankfort, a town midway between this place and Romney, to see if there were rebel troops there. They went within a quarter of a mile of the place, and found it full of cavalry. Returning they overtook forty horsemen, and at once charged on them, routing and driving them back more than a mile, killing eight of them, and securing seventeen horses. Corporal Hayes, in command of my men, was desperately wounded with sabre cuts and bullets. Taking him back they halted about an hour, and were then attacked by the enemy, who were reënforced to about seventyfive men. The attack was so sudden that they abandoned the horses and crossed to a small island at the mouth of Patterson's Creek. The charge of the rebels was bold and confident, yet twenty-three fell under the fire of my pickets,

close about and on the island. My fellows were finally driven off, and, scattering each man for himself, they are all in camp now. One, Corporal Hayes, of Company A, was wounded, but is recovering. One, John C. Holdingbrook, of Company B, is dead. The last was taken prisoner, and brutally murdered. Three companies went to the ground this morning, and recovered every thing belonging to my picket, except a few of the horses. The enemy were engaged all night long in boxing up their dead. Two of their officers were killed. They laid out twenty-three on the porch of a neighboring farm house. I will bury my poor fellow to-morrow. I have positive information gained to-day that there are four regiments of rebels in and about Romney, under Col. McDonald. What their particular object is I cannot learn.

The two Pennsylvania regiments are in en

LEWIS WALLACE.

Col. 11th Regiment, Indiana Volunteers.

G. B. McClellan, Major-General.

Doc. 46.

FIRST MINNESOTA INFANTRY. THE following is a list of the officers: Colonel, Willis A. Gorman; Lieut.-Colonel, Stephen Miller; Major, William H. Dyke; Chaplain, E. D. Neill, D. D.; Surgeon, J. H. Stewart, M. D.; Adjutant, William B. Leach; Quartermaster and Commissary, Mark W. sistant-Surgeon, Charles La Boutiler; SergeantDownie; Commissary-Sergeant, Mahoney; AsMajor, E. I. Davis; Colonel's Aid, E. L. Sproat.

Company B-Captain, A. C. Bromley; First tenant, Mirror Thomas. Company C-Captain, Lieutenant, Mark W. Downie; Second LieuWilliam H. Acker; First Lieutenant, William B. Farrell; Second Lieutenant, Samuel Ragent. Company D-Captain, H. R. Putnam; First Lieutenant, George H. Woods; Second Lientenant, De Witt C. Smith. Company I-Captain, John H. Fell; First Lieutenant, Joseph Harley; Second Lieutenant, Charles B. Halsey. Company F-Captain, Colwill; First Lieutenant, E. A. Welsh; Second Lieutenant, Anthony loyt. Company K-Captain, Henry C. Lester; First Lieutenant, Holsborn; Second Lieutenant, Joseph Perriam. Company II-Captain, Charles P. Adams; First Lieutenant, O. T. Hays; Second Lieutenant, William B. Leach. Company E-Captain, G. M. Morgan; First Lieutenant, James Hollistein; Second LieutenMcKewan, (left at Fort Ridgeley:) First Lieuant, George Pomeroy. Company G-Captain, tenant, William H. Smith in command; Lieutenant, Charles Messick.

Second

Baltimore (Md.) American, June 27.

SIXTEENTH REGIMENT N. Y. S. V. THE following is a list of the officers: Thomas A. Davies, Colonel; Samuel Marble, Lieutenant-Colonel; Buel Palmer, Major; Joseph Howland, Adjutant; Arthur Dewint, Quartermaster; Wm. B. Crandall, Surgeon; John H. Moore, Surgeon's Mate; Henry D. Townsend, Paymaster; Royal B. Stratton, Chaplain.

NON-COMMISSIONED STAFF.-Fred. C. Tapley, Sergeant-Major; C. F. Moore, QuartermasterSergeant; Howard B. Utter, Drum-Major; Chas. C. Fleming, Assistant-Adjutant.