north america-2-第36部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

weather　very　sharp。　　I　slept　in　a　tent；　and　managed　to　keep　my　body　warm　by　an　enormous　overstructure　of　blankets　and　coats；　but　I　could　not　keep　my　head　warm。　　Throughout　the　night　I　had　to　go　down　like　a　fish　beneath　the　water　for　protection；　and　come　up　for　air　at　intervals；　half　smothered。　　I　had　a　stove　in　my　tent；　but　the　heat　of　that；　when　lighted；　was　more　terrible　than　the　severity　of　the　frost。　The　tents　of　the　brigade　with　which　I　was　staying　had　been　pitched　not　without　an　eye　to　appearances。　　They　were　placed　in　streets　as　it　were；　each　street　having　its　name；　and　between　them　screens　had　been　erected　of　fir　poles　and　fir　branches；　so　as　to　keep　off　the　wind。　　The　outside　boundaries　of　the　nearest　regiment　were　ornamented　with　arches；　crosses；　and　columns；　constructed　in　the　same　way；　so　that　the　quarters　of　the　men　were　reached；　as　it　were；　through　gateways。　　The　whole　thing　was　pretty　enough；　and　while　the　ground　was　hard　the　camp　was　picturesque；　and　a　visit　to　it　was　not　unpleasant。　　But　unfortunately　the　ground　was　in　its　nature　soft　and　deep；　composed　of　red　clay；　and　as　the　frost　went　and　the　wet　weather　came；　mud　became　omnipotent　and　destroyed　all　prettiness。　And　I　found　that　the　cold　weather；　let　it　be　ever　so　cold；　was　not　severe　upon　the　men。　　It　was　wet　which　they　feared　and　had　cause　to　fear；　both　for　themselves　and　for　their　horses。　　As　to　the　horses；　but　few　of　them　were　protected　by　any　shelter　or　covering　whatsoever。　　Through　both　frost　and　wet　they　remained　out；　tied　to　the　wheel　of　a　wagon　or　to　some　temporary　rack　at　which　they　were　fed。　　In　England　we　should　imagine　that　any　horse　so　treated　must　perish；　but　here　the　animal　seemed　to　stand　it。　　Many　of　them　were　miserable　enough　in　appearance；　but　nevertheless　they　did　the　work　required　of　them。　　I　have　observed　that　horses　throughout　the　States　are　treated　in　a　hardier　manner　than　is　usually　the　case　with　us。　At　the　period　of　which　I　am　speakingJanuary；　1862the　health　of　the　army　of　the　Potomac　was　not　as　good　as　it　had　been；　and　was　beginning　to　give　way　under　the　effects　of　the　winter。　　Measles　had　become　very　prevalent；　and　also　small…pox；　though　not　of　a　virulent　description；　and　men；　in　many　instances；　were　sinking　under　fatigue。　I　was　informed　by　various　officers　that　the　Irish　regiments　were　on　the　whole　the　most　satisfactory。　　Not　that　they　made　the　best　soldiers；　for　it　was　asserted　that　they　were　worse；　as　soldiers；　than　the　Americans　or　Germans；　not　that　they　became　more　easily　subject　to　rule；　for　it　was　asserted　that　they　were　unruly；　but　because　they　were　rarely　ill。　　Diseases　which　seized　the　American　troops　on　all　sides　seemed　to　spare　them。　　The　mortality　was　not　excessive；　but　the　men　became　sick　and　ailing；　and　fell　under　the　doctor's　hands。　Mr。　Olmstead；　whose　name　is　well　known　in　England　as　a　writer　on　the　Southern　States；　was　at　this　time　secretary　to　a　sanitary　commission　on　the　army；　and　published　an　abstract　of　the　results　of　the　inquiries　made；　on　which　I　believe　perfect　reliance　may　be　placed。　This　inquiry　was　extended　to　two　hundred　regiments；　which　were　presumed　to　be　included　in　the　army　of　the　Potomac；　but　these　regiments　were　not　all　located　on　the　Virginian　side　of　the　river；　and　must　not　therefore　be　taken　as　belonging　exclusively　to　the　divisions　of　which　I　have　been　speaking。　　Mr。　Olmstead　says：　〃The　health　of　our　armies　is　evidently　not　above　the　average　of　armies　in　the　field。　　The　mortality　of　the　army　of　the　Potomac　during　the　summer　months　averaged　3　1/2　per　cent。；　and　for　the　whole　army　it　is　stated　at　5　per　cent。〃　　〃Of　the　camps　inspected；　5　per　cent。；〃　he　says；　〃were　in　admirable　order；　44　per　cent。　fairly　clean　and　well　policed。　　The　condition　of　26　per　cent。　was　negligent　and　slovenly；　and　of　24　per　cent。　decidedly　bad；　filthy；　and　dangerous。〃　　Thus　50　per　cent。　were　either　negligent　and　slovenly；　or　filthy　and　dangerous。　　I　wonder　what　the　report　would　have　been　had　Camp　Benton；　at　St。　Louis；　been　surveyed！　　〃In　about　80　per　cent。　of　the　regiments　the　officers　claimed　to　give　systematic　attention　to　the　cleanliness　of　the　men；　but　it　is　remarked　that　they　rarely　enforced　the　washing　of　the　feet；　and　not　always　of　the　head　and　neck。〃　　I　wish　Mr。　Olmstead　had　added　that　they　never　enforced　the　cutting　of　the　hair。　　No　single　trait　has　been　so　decidedly　disadvantageous　to　the　appearance　of　the　American　army　as　the　long；　uncombed；　rough　locks　of　hair　which　the　men　have　appeared　so　loath　to　abandon。　　In　reading　the　above　one　cannot　but　think　of　the　condition　of　those　other　twenty　regiments！　According　to　Mr。　Olmstead　two…thirds　of　the　men　were　native　born；　and　one…third　was　composed　of　foreigners。　　These　foreigners　are　either　Irish　or　German。　　Had　a　similar　report　been　made　of　the　armies　in　the　West；　I　think　it　would　have　been　seen　that　the　proportion　of　foreigners　was　still　greater。　　The　average　age　of　the　privates　was　something　under　twenty…five；　and　that　of　the　officers　thirty…four。　　I　may　here　add；　from　my　own　observation；　that　an　officer's　rank　could　in　no　degree　be　predicated　from　his　age。　Generals；　colonels；　majors；　captains；　and　lieutenants　had　been　all　appointed　at　the　same　time；　and　without　reference　to　age　or　qualification。　　Political　influence；　or　the　power　of　raising　recruits；　had　been　the　standard　by　which　military　rank　was　distributed。　　The　old　West　Point　officers　had　generally　been　chosen　for　high　commands；　but　beyond　this　everything　was　necessarily　new。　Young　colonels　and　ancient　captains　abounded　without　any　harsh　feeling　as　to　the　matter　on　either　side。　　Indeed；　in　this　respect；　the　practice　of　the　country　generally　was　simply　carried　out。　Fathers　and　mothers　in　America　seem　to　obey　their　sons　and　daughters　naturally；　and　as　they　grow　old　become　the　slaves　of　their　grandchildren。　Mr。　Olmstead　says　that　food　was　found　to　be　universally　good　and　abundant。　　On　this　matter　Mr。　Olmstead　might　have　spoken　in　stronger　language　without　exaggeration。　　The　food　supplied　to　the　American　armies　has　been　extravagantly　good；　and　certainly　has　been　wastefully　abundant。　　Very　much　has　been　said　of　the　cost　of　the　American　army；　and　it　has　been　made　a　matter　of　boasting　that　no　army　so　costly　has　ever　been　put　into　the　field　by　any　other　nation。　The　assertion　is；　I　believe；　at　any　rate　true。　　I　have　found　it　impossible　to　ascertain　what　has　hitherto　been　expended　on　the　army。　I　much　doubt　whether　even　Mr。　Chase；　the　Secretary　of　the　Treasury；　or　Mr。　Stanton；　the　Secretary　of　War；　know　themselves；　and　I　do　not　suppose　that　Mr。　Stanton's　predecessor　much　cared。　　Some　approach；　however；　may　be　reached　to　the　amount　actually　paid　in　wages　and　for　clothes　and　diet；　and　I　give　below　a　statement　which　I　have　seen　of　the　actual　annual　sum　proposed　to　be　expended　on　these　heads；　presuming　the　army　to　consist　of　500；000　men。　　The　army　is　stated　to　contain　660；000　men；　but　the　former　numbers　given　would　probably　be　found　to　be　nearer　the　mark：

Wages　of　privates；　including　sergeants　and　　　corporals　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　86；640；000　Salaries　of　regimental　officers　　　　　　　　　　　　　23；784；000　Extra　wages　of　privates；　extra　pay　to　　　mounted　officers；　and　salary　to　　　officers　above　the　rank　of　colonel　　　　　　　　l7；000；000　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　127；424；000　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　or　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　25；484；000　pounds　sterling。

To　this　must　be　added　the　cost　of　diet　and　clothing。　　The　food　of　the　men；　I　was　informed；　was　supplied　at　an　average　cost　of　l7　cents　a　day；　which；　for　an　army　of　500；000　men；　would　amount　to　6；200；000　pounds　per　annum。　　The　clothing　of　the　men　is　shown　by　the　printed　statement　of　their　War　Department　to　amount　to　3。00　a　month　for　a　period　of　five　years。　　That；　at　least；　is　the　amount　allowed　to　a　private　of　infantry　or　artillery。　　The　cost　of　the　cavalry　uniforms　and　of　the　dress　of　the　non…commissioned　officers　is　something　higher；　but　not　sufficiently　so　to　make　it　necessary　to　make　special　provision　for　the　difference　in　a　statement　so　rough　as　this。　　At　3。00　a　month　the　clothing　of　the　army　would　amount　to　3；600；000　pounds。　　The　actual　annual　cost　would　therefore　be　as　follows：

Salaries　and　wages　　　　　　　　　　25；484；400　pounds。　Diet　of　the　soldiers　　　　　　　　　6；200；000　　　　〃　Clothing　for　the　soldiers　　　　3；600；000　　　　〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　35；280；400　　　　〃

I　believe　that　these　figures　may　be　trusted；　unless　it　be　with　reference　to　that　sum　of　l7；000；000；　or　3；400；000　pounds；　which　is　presumed　to　include　the　salaries　of　all　general　officers；　with　their　staffs；　and　also　the　extra　wages　paid　to　soldiers　in　certain　cases。　This　is　given　as　an　estimate；　and　may　be　over　or　under　the　mark。　The　sum　named　as　the　cost　of　clothing　would　be　correct；　or　nearly　so；　if　the　army　remained　in　its　present　force　for　five　years。　　If　it　so　remained　for　only　one　year；　the　cost　would　be　one…fifth　higher。　It　must　of　course　be　remembered　that　the　sum　above　named　includes　simply　the　wages；　clothes；　and　food　of　the　men。　　It　does　not　comprise　the　purchase　of　arms；　horses；　ammunition；　or　wagons；　the　forage　of　horses；　the　transport　of　troops；　or　any　of　those　incidental　expens