CHAPTER LI.

UNITED STATES SANITARY AND CHRISTAIN COMMISSIONS.

Soon after the call for seventy-five thousand soldiers by President Lincoln on the capture of Sumpter, many charitable men and women instituted in the several States what they called Soldiers' Aid Societies. It was soon perceived that much more good could be accomplished by a more general and thorough organization. A number of leading clergymen and physicians, realizing the advantages of a unity of action, and seeking no remuneration, applied to the Government for recognition and moral support. This being obtained, they were properly organized as "The United States Sanitary Commission." The Rev. Henry W. Bellows, D.D., was chosen as its President. Their intentions and designs at first were to give their professional advice and aid to the medical department of the field service; but it was soon seen that there was a large opening before them, and that their operations could be very efficiently enlarged. They published and circulated among the surgeons of the army many valuable tracts on Hygiene, such as Rules for Preserving the Health of a Soldier,' ""Advice as to Camping," and soon were added medical reports, Reports on Amputations,' "Reports on Dysentery," ‚""Directions as to Army Surgeons on the Battlefield." Soon the opportunities and necessities of active service demanded in the field an active executive body. With this demand, they prepared and organized their final grand organization of benevolence and charity on a basis as universal as it was noble. Three committees were appointed; one to communicate with the Government, one to act and communicate with the army officers, and a third to act and communicate with the public. Commensurate with the gigantic field open for its operations, the Sanitary Commission now entered upon its remarkable and successful career of mercy and usefulness. It now had the support of the Government, and affiliated with the medical bureau. The loyal people of every class and condition gathered to its support, and all seemed to strive for superiority in their offerings. The abundant and liberal

contributions soon gave the commission means for its own independent transportation. It had hospital transports, wagons, ambulances, railroad cars, and means secured for the safe and comfortable transportation of the wounded soldier from the battlefield to the hospital. As the war went on and increased in magnitude, so did its work increase, and also its energies and the wonderful efficacy and efficiency of its organization. Its departments of relief were divided into twelve branches, having depots in the large cities, each branch having a large number of auxiliaries employed in obtaining supplies. From these many sources, the provisions and offerings were sent to the main depots, there to be assorted, repacked and forwarded. At one of these branches, the "Woman's Central Association," there were collected stores of the value of over one million of dollars. At another, at Chicago, was furnished over a quarter of a million. Care was taken to have no waste. The soldiers from the different States were equally supplied, and the wounded rebel soldiers left on the battlefield, and the sick abandoned in the hospitals were to receive relief and to be tenderly cared for. Many of the boys in gray had reason to be thankful for the kind and merciful ministrations and relief afforded by the Sanitary Commissions. Its office of special relief was varied and general. Soldiers on their way to their regiments, or on their way home by discharge or furlough, or on sick leave were furnished meals and lodgings. Seventy-five hundred soldiers were on an average thus daily or nightly accommodated. It had special lodges where a sick soldier, while awaiting for his pay or unable to reach a hospital, might stop for a time. It had stations where a hungry soldier, passing, could have a free meal. On the military lines of travel these feeding stations were permanently established. On the large rivers-the Mississippi, Cumberland, Potomac-it had sanitary steamers for transmitting supplies and transporting the sick and wounded. Whenever opportunity appeared, it sent supplies to the Union prisoners of war confined at Andersonville, Salisbury and Richmond. On every flag-of-truce boat it placed clothing, medicines and cordials to meet prisoners who had been exchanged. It examined with care the Government prison camps, extending its merciful supervision to the Confederate prisoners of war. With charity and mercy it comforted and cared for all. It had its agencies to see that no injustice was done to any soldier, his widow or orphan, that their claims were allowed and paid and that no sharper took advantage of them. Its duty in its department of field relief was to minister to the wounded on the battlefield, to furnish bandages, cordials, nourishments, to give assistance to the surgeons and to supply any deficiencies it could detect in the field. From the time it was first organized, May, 1864, to January, 1865, it gave its services to more than seventy-five thousand patients. It waited on the sick and wounded, wrote letters for them, gave them stationery, postage stamps, news

papers, and lightened the wearisome hours of suffering by reading magazines and books to them, and by friendly and pleasant conversation. The Government gave the Sanitary Commission a cordial and earnest support. Grand fairs for the benefit of the Sanitary Commission were held in Philadelphia and Baltimore, attended by President Lincoln, in which he manifested his earnest sympathy and support of the commission by brief speeches on the occasions. At Baltimore, he said: "Calling it to mind that we are in Baltimore, we cannot fail to note that the world moves. Looking upon the many people I see assembled here to serve as best they may the soldiers of the Union, it occurs to me that three years ago those soldiers could not pass through Baltimore. I would say, blessings upon the men who wrought these changes, and the women who have assisted them."

But from the people at large came that liberal and generous beneficence which has no parallel in the history of the past. They gave it their earnest and hearty approval. They gave it more; they gave it money and means unstinted, free and ample, as was the charity dispensed. They gave three millions of dollars in money, of which the Pacific States gave one million. They sent in also nine millions worth of supplies.

The operations and services of the Sanitary Commission were worthy of the magnitude of the great civil war, the asperities, horrors and sufferings of which it did so much to alleviate. Philanthropists of the old world looked on with astonishment and admiration on the magnificent organization of charity and mercy to friend and foe. And they failed to find in the ages of the past a similar example.

While the physical wants and sufferings of the soldiers and sailors were being supplied and attended to by the Sanitary Commission, the Christain Commission was organized and strove to emulate in works of love and mercy the United States Sanitary Commission. It also received the aid and recognition of the Government. Its design was to alleviate the physical sufferings and promote the spiritual welfare of the soldiers and sailors. Its principal office was in Philadelphia, with agencies in the several States. It, too, received the aid of the Government in free transportation and the use of the telegraph lines. Steamboat and railroad companies furnished it with transportation. It followed the armies, went into the trenches and was on hand at every battle. Wherever there was a wounded, sick or dying soldier an agent of the Christain Commission was there to give hope and consolation in the dying hour. It gave Christian burial, whenever possible, and marked the resting place of the sleeping dead. It had its religious services in camp, and held its prayer meetings. It gave the soldier and sailor Bibles and Testaments, and various religious and moral publications. It distributed

nearly five millions of dollars in money and supplies. Untiring in their work of charity, those illustrious Commissions cared for the soldiers and sailors when they had finished their work and saved the Union. They organized agencies for employment and information, to find and to give to each one wishing a situation which he was capable of filling, and protected him from imposition, and assisted him in procuring his arrearages of pay and pensions if he was entitled to the same.

Near the close of the war, in February, 1865, the annual meeting of the Christian Commission was held in Washington. As events then in progress gave assurance that it would probably be the last annual meeting of that benevolent body, much interest was manifested, and the attendance was large from all parts of the loyal States. The meeting was held in the evening at the National capitol in the hall of the House of Representatives. The hall, galleries and corridors were filled to their utmost capacity. It was estimated that three thousand persons were present. Hon. George H. Stuart, Chairman of the Commission, called the meeting to order, and Chief Justice Chase of the United States Supreme Court was called to preside over the large assembly. Mr. Lincoln was present, and manifested a deep interest in the proceedings of the commission. Reports of its operations, receipts and expenditures for the last year were read. Addresses were delivered by a number of notables present, among whom was Richardson, correspondent for the New York Tribune, who gave a graphic detail of his escape from Andersonville prison, and the assistance and information he received from the colored people while making his way through the mountains of North Carolina to the Federal lines. Chaplain McCabe sang his favorite, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," the large audience joining in the chorus. As the melody of the thousands of voices echoed and re-echoed through the vast corridors of the capitol, the uplifted countenances of the vast multitude beamed with joy and pleasure in full accord with the harmonious strains. As the echoes died away, the meeting adjourned.

The next day, some two hundred members of the commission called at the Executive Mansion to pay their respects to the President. The writer was present. The Chairman of the commission, Hon. George H. Stuart, made a short address to the President, in which he spoke of the great debt of gratitude which the country owed Mr. Lincoln. "My friends," said the President in reply, "neither you nor the country owe me any gratitude for what I have done. I trust all that has been done by us has been done as a work of duty. Our gratitude, all gratitude, is due to the great Giver of all good. To Him our thanks are due for His manifestations in the Nation's behalf, and for that spirit of love and charity which He has given to the

members of the Christian Commission to faithfully discharge their duty." At the close of his remarks, he cordially and gratefully assented to a suggestion for prayer, and Bishop Janes offered, in the East-room, a brief and fervent petition to the Throne of Grace. The occasion was a memorable one, and will long be remembered by those present.