The Sanitary Commission of the United States Army : a succinct narrative of its works and purposes / Sanitary Commission.
- United States Sanitary Commission
- Date:
- 1864
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The Sanitary Commission of the United States Army : a succinct narrative of its works and purposes / Sanitary Commission. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.
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![Though the brief sketches that have here been presented are designed particularly to illustrate the flan by which the Comujission's Depart- ment of Relief \s, sustained, the record of the works of any one of the prin- cipal branches that have been mentioned present something more. They illustrate the affections, thoughtfulness, patriotism, and undenying sym- pathies of the mothers, wives, and daughters of the Republic. By these things are our homes sanctified in the war that is raging, and by these the battle-worn veteran finds his home made doubly endearing. The prevention of sickness, and of all causes of unnecessary suffering, has been from the first the chief design of the Sanitary Commission's efforts but the requisite means for succor and aid to the sick and wounded have flown in so abundantly and so systematically from the branches and Auxiliaries of Supply, that the Commission has been enabled to carry out plins of Relief which otherwise would have been impossible. The whole system of this co-operative yet spontaneous aid is so simple that school girls readily comprehend it when they form their busy-bee circles. Is it not a work in which the hand of Providence marks the way of duty ?* 335 96. Its expenses for ilistribution are estimated in the last Tif^ori at If jocr cent, which correajionds with the estimates of the U. S. San. Com. [Sec 167.] Tiiis humane labor of the St. Louis Commission has truly been loyal work, and, as has recently been said by a prominent leader in that work, as thiiigs now stand, we can see no reason why the two commissions should not haiuionize into one. The work of the St. Louis Commission is spontaneous and fervent, and ita advantages to the army and to tlie world may be increased by the unity that has now become practicable and highly desirable. * The cause of humanity needs no defence, yet its claims are not well under- stood by those persons who fail to see and commend the object and necessity of voluntary assistance and even of woman's aid in the care of the sick and wounded in the war. Let the simple eloquence of the following statements defend such work. At the opening of the Sanitary Fair in Washington, President Lincoln, in a brief speech, said : The extraordinary war in whieli we are engaged fills heavily upon all classes of people, but the most heavily upon the soldier. For it has been said, all that a man hath will he give for his life; and while all contribute of their substatice, the soldier puts bis life at stake, and often yields it up in his country's cause. The highest merit, then, is due the soldier. In this extraordinaiy war, extraordinary developments have manifested them- selves, such as have not been seen in former wars, and among these manifestations nothing has been more remarkable than these I'airs, for the relief of suffering soldiers and their families. And the chief agents in these Fairs are the women of America. I am not accustomed to the use of language of eulogy ; I have never studied the art of paying compliments to women ; but I must say that if all that has been fiaid by oratcjrs and poets since the creation of the world in praise of women, were applied to the women of Aiuenca, it would not do them justice for their conduct during this war. I will close by saying, God bless the women of America 1](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21459460_0292.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
