Bio: Israel Drew : Pittsfield, Merrimack County, New Hampshire

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Submitted by: Rick Giirtman rickman@worldpath.net
Date: March 12, 2001
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From the Book
'History of Pittsfield, N. H. in the Rebellion'
by H. L. Robinson, published 1893


ISRAEL  DREW

was born in Madbury, N. H., October 25, 1795, enlisted in the War of 1812,
and was stationed at Portsmouth. After his return home in 1816 he married
Miss Nancy Ayers of Barnstead. In 1829 he moved to Pittsrield, where he
lived until the breaking out of the rebellion. Being a young looking man,
although 66 years of age, he passed muster as only 44. He was mustered into
Company G, Eighth New Hampshire volunteers, December 23, 1861. He was with
the regiment at Manchester, Fort Independence, Ship Island, where he was as
prompt to do his duty as the younger men, but the climate undermined his
strong constitution and he died at Camp Parapet, La., August 22, 1862. He
was without doubt the oldest man that enlisted from the entire North.

Mr. Drew was a "hard-working man, with quick wit and an answer always ready.
He never overcame his repugnance to the use of tobacco, the smoke of it
making him deathly sick. One day he went into a lawyer's office where
several people were smoking. He started to go out, but was so giddy he fell
to the foot of the stairs. Some one ran to help him and exclaimed, "Why,
Mr. Drew, did you fall? "

" Fall! No. The bottom stair flew up and hit me in the face," replied the
injured man.

General Butler in his book (page 481), speaking of the health of his troops
in July, 1862, says: "Indeed, there were some regiments who could not bring
into line more than two hundred men." And these troops had not been in the
service on an average of over eight months.

So abrupt and complete a change in all the conditions of life consequent
upon the translation of New England men from the bracing air of a northern
winter to the enervating climate of the Gulf of Mexico, a change intensified
by the ovenlike heat between sun and sand, unrelieved by shade of tree or
the sight of a green growing thing to refresh the strained and dazzled eye,
could not fail to have a profoundly unfavorable effect upon their
constitutions.

The food, though abundant and of excellent quality for strong men, was far
from the requirements of the sick. A healthy and hungry man could live well
upon the bread, beef, and pork that were issued as rations. But when a man
began to be sick, and to have a poor or capricious appetite and enfeebled
digestion, he must either continue to live upon the regular ration or go
without; for there was no supply of meat juices and other nourishments
adapted to a weakened stomach. So many and many a poor fellow, loathing the
hard-tack and salt-horse, did go without until he grew weaker and weaker,
and too weak to rally, and finally he went under the sand.

The Sanitary and Christian Commissions doubtless did a grand work for the
sick soldiers, but their good things were mostly distributed to the general
hospitals, while the sick in regimental hospitals and in quarters failed to
receive what they needed when they needed it most, and so hundreds and
hundreds of poor boys succumbed to what amounted to actual starvation.

Add to this what may seem to be largely a sentimental and unnecessary
factor, but which actually proved to be a very powerful influence to
increase the death record--homesickness. Scores and hundreds of the boys,
reduced by sickness and lack of nourishment, only needed this additional
depressing influence to turn the scale against them.

Every man had to pass through the scourge of camp diarrhoea. None were
exempt, but some suffered more than others. Many never recovered from it.
Others suffered and died from diseases that seized upon a system debilitated
and deprived of its power to resist disease by this bane of army life.

The sinks were established on the shore below the line of high tide, and a
fourth of a mile or more from the camps. No one who witnessed it will ever
forget the melancholy procession of living skeletons who, day and night,
staggered and tottered back and forth between camp and sink, many of whom
were obliged to stop and rest by the way and turn back and repeat the weary
journey ere they had time to rest themselves in their tent.

Later on diphtheria appeared, and made short work of the debilitated systems
of the men. This dread disease attacked us in its malignant form and carried
off its victims inside of twenty-four hours in many cases. I do not remember
a single case of recovery from this disease. Some cases that occurred after
we went to the mainland, and had the benefit of the New Orleans market,
recovered ; but only to be prostrated with paralysis for long months
afterwards.

The next horror that came upon us was the scurvy--sufficient proof of my
statement in regard to the lack of proper food. Men's teeth would turn black
as charcoal, loosen, and drop out of their heads. Purple-and-black spots
would appear on body and limbs, from which the blood would ooze out in
drops. Inflamed and spongy gums would bleed upon the slightest touch. The
whole mass of the blood would become thin, watery, and devitalized. The
flesh seemed to rot alive, and when death closed the scene, the miserable,
half-decomposed body would have to be hurried under the ground as soon as
possible. The funeral procession, the muffled drum, the volley of musketry
over the soldier's grave were daily and almost hourly sights and sounds.

No wonder that the poor boys, far from home and friends, when taken sick
would lose courage, give up to the fatal depression of homesickness, and die
of diseases that at home, and with all that that means, would be considered
trivial and easily recovered from.

The above may be called a gloomy picture, but it is far within the truth and
fails to portray the actual horrors of the situation. Many times it has been
said that, next to the rebel prison-pens, the hardest place that our boys
were placed in was Ship Island.

On the afternoon of the 17th we began to hear occasional heavy guns afar
off. Gradually the sounds increased, and for six days and nights we listened
to the incessant roar of heavy artillery. Sleep was out of the question.
Even at our distance the earth trembled and shook with the awful
concussions, as if the world were being rent and pulverized by ten thousand
earthquakes.

Through the night of the 23d, when the fleet ran by the forts below New
Orleans, it seemed as if all the thunders and convulsions of heaven, earth,
and hell were let loose at once. We could only listen in wonder and
suspense. Contradictory reports of the conflict reached us. At one time we
were told that our fleet and army were beaten, sunk and dispersed, and that
we might expect the rebel fleet down upon us at any moment. At another, that
our forces had achieved a partial success.

When we learned beyond a doubt of the splendid victory of Farragut, and that
the forts, the great city, and the mouth of the "Father of Waters" were
actually in the possession of our army and navy, our gratitude and
enthusiasm knew no bounds, and we felt that the suffering and death on Ship
Island were measurably compensated by the brilliant success of the Union
arms.