we brought up with us nearly three thousand letters, written for disabled soldiers by the delegates of the commission.
The New-York Times May 27, 1864
The New York Times column at left features a matter-of -fact telegram dated May 26, 1864 from Secretary of War Stanton to New York City commander General Dix (no glorious Union victories 150 years ago today). In addition most of the wounded in Fredericksburg have been removed. And Grant’s constant flanking movements were nettling the shippers that had to supply the huge Army of the Potomac. From The New-York Times May 27, 1864:
How the Movement Is Regarded in Washington.
From the Washington Star, May 25.
Parties from the front say that at noon yesterday GRANT was “thirty-five miles from Richmond, and all was well.”
His rapid change of base has considerable bothered shippers of army goods here, who, loading for Belle Plain, find the occupation of that lately busy locality completely gone, and the guard troops lately there gone to Port Royal “or the Lord knows where,” to establish the new base of supplies.
There are still a number of sick and wounded at Fredericksburgh, and as soon as they are removed that place will also lose its importance quite as suddenly as Belle Plain has. …
The United States Sanitary Commission was caring for the wounded soldiers at Fredericksburg. And so was the United States Christian Commission. From The New-York Times May 27, 1864:
The Christian Commission.
PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, May 25, 1864.
To the Editor of the New-York Times:
Having just returned from a week’s visit to the wounded in the late battles in Virginia, in company with Bishop MCILVAINE, of Ohio, it gives me great pleasure to assure the friends of those noble heroes throughout the country that our Government is doing everything in its power to relieve suffering, (more than any Government ever did before,) and that we found the work of the Christian Commission thoroughly organized, with an efficient corps of over two hundred and fifty volunteer delegates laboring incessantly for the temporal and spiritual comfort of our soldiers. As the result of one day’s labor at the headquarters of the commission in Fredericksburgh, we brought up with us nearly three thousand letters, written for disabled soldiers by the delegates of the commission.
part of its ministry
“labor of love”
The great difficulty is in the transportation of supplies. Encouraged by the generous contributions of the people to our treasury, we have made arrangements to remedy this by purchasing and sending forward two additional wagons, with eight horses. We also chartered two schooners and a tugboat. To make the work of the commission more efficient on the field, we arrange for a set of delegates to work by day and another by night, so that there will be Christian men always present to minister to the sick and wounded and to stand by the bedside of the dying. The delegates of the commission have already accomplished a wonderful work, saving hundreds of lives and relieving untold suffering. They are still at their posts. It remains for the Christian philanthropic people of the land to keep them supplied with the means of carrying on and increasing their labor of love. GEO. H. STUART,
Chairman Christian Commission.
I’m not implying that the envelope images are examples of the Fredericksburg letters in the story.
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