For each question, answer the question completely using proper English and make sure to proofread! You must also respond to at least one other student post to receive full credit.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Chapter Four:Naming "The Significant Word Unkown"
What were some similarities and differences between the Christian and Sanitary commissions? Which commission do you believe was more effective during the Civil War? Why?
"Voluntary organizations worked...to provide information to families."(pg.107) Both the Christian and Sanitary commission were significant Union-wide charitable efforts. The Christian Commission supplied paper and envelopes for soldiers to write home and they transferred those letters. When soldiers were sick or dying, the unpaid commission delegates would write in their behalf. Those delegates took on the responsibility to identify the dead and notify the family at home. Later, the commission organized the Individual Relief Department where they answered specific inquiries about a soldier. They distributed notebooks so the delegates could write down who they assisted and the information could be passed along easily. The Christian Commission "became increasingly involved not just in providing information to families but in working to ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead."(pg.110) This commission worked hard and they really cared about each soldier and they tried not only to help the soldiers but the families as well. The Sanitary Commission regarded the Christian Commission’s approach as "unduly sentimental, lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary..."(pg.110) IN this system, the agents were paid unlike in the Christian system. The Sanitary Commission wanted to use science and efficiency instead of being personal and caring. The Sanitary Commission had financial strength and public influence unlike the Christian Commission. This system developed the Special Relief Service where they distributed clothing and food and other kinds of necessities. Many of the requests for information to this commission went sadly unanswered. They only successfully answered about seventy percent of the requests. "The Sanitarians became humanitarians and sentimentalists in spite of themselves."(pg.116) I think the Sanitary Commission was much more effective during the Civil War. Although they did not think getting close to the soldiers was smart or efficient, they ended up becoming personal anyway. They seemed to have done more. Although they were being paid, they gave back more than they were being paid for. They helped soldiers find their way home, they relieved the anxiety of families, and they provided food and clothing. The Sanitary Commission was very helpful and the North would have suffered without them.
I do not think that either the Christian or Sanitary commission was more effective than the other during the Civil War, but rather that each commission completed the work of the other; what the Sanitary Commission lacked in personal touch, the Christian Commission made up for, and what the Christian Commission lacked in size and influence, the Sanitary Commission made up for. The Christian Commision provided the most help to some people, whereas the Sanitary Commission provided some help to the most people. The Christian Commission tried to connect with soldiers and their families on a personal level. They did things such as writing and delivering letters to families on behalf of soldiers, providing families with information, "working to ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead" (110), and initiating relief efforts for the sick and wounded. They were "motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence" (110). The Sanitary Commission was less personal, but was able to help many more people because it had "attained a size and financial strength, as well as a public influence and reach, that far exceeded that of the Christian Commission" (111). The efforts of the Sanitary Commission were at first focused mainly on "the establishment of rules of military organization that would maximize prevention of disease and effective management of wounds" (111). Later, however, they created the Special Relief Service, which provided for the immediate and essential needs of soldiers, such as food and clothing. While the two commissions did not necessarily appreciate each other's work - "the Sanitary Commission derided the amateurishness inherent in the volunteer efforts of the Christian Commission" (111) - they unknowingly worked together on a certain level to help soldiers and their families.
As a result of the government’s struggle to communicate with families the Christian and Sanitary commissions were created. Those commissions “came to regard communication with families as central to their efforts.”(pg.107) Both commissions searched for, and recorded information about soldier’s deaths, then reported that information to the families, so in effect the commissions became the “middle-men” between families and the army. Although the commissions shared a common goal the ideals that drove those goals were different. The Sanitary commission believed the Christian commission was “lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary.”(pg.110) Both of these commissions were effective in what they did, but I believe the Christian commission was more effective. As “middle-men” between the families and army the commission’s main job was to communicate, which the Christian commission did effectively by writing and providing letters, comforting both soldiers and families, and researching and reporting deaths. Although the Christian commission didn’t have the financial or public support the Sanitary commission did, it instead had a more personal touch with families and was very effective in it’s goal to communicate with those families more so than the Sanitary commission.
I do not believe that neither the Sanitary nor the Christian commission were more effective than the other. While the Christian Commission was motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence, the Sanitarians regarded such an approach as unduly sentimental, lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary to modern age and a modern war. (pg.110). The Christian commission provided writing materials to soldiers. They too were able to communicate with the families of wounded soldiers on their behalf. This commission was very caring as they were unpaid as well but cared so much about the soldiers and the families and communication was essential for this commission. This commission created the Individual Relief Department, this department answered questions pertaining to individual soldiers and they delivered notebooks to soldiers. The Sanitary commission was a paid organization but yet they seemed to be less caring to me about the soldiers and their families. But this commission was able to help more families and soldiers and provide more as they had the financial backing that the Christian commission lacked. The Sanitary commission created the Special Relief Service which delivered clothing and food and other essential items. In my opinion I believe that the Christian commission was more personal with the soldiers and their families. They seemed to be more caring than the Sanitary commission although the Sanitary commission was paid and the Christian commission was not. The similarities were that both commissions provided families with information about soldiers and gave them essential items wether it be writing materials or clothing to food. But I believe that the Christian commission was more effective during the civil war because they were more personal with the families and the soldiers.
Some differences between the Christian and Sanitary commissions were that the Christian Commission made "an assessement of deceased's religious state, as well details about the disposition of his body." [pg.109] They also included in their reports if the "soldiers had indeed died Good Deaths" [pg. 109]. While the Christian Commission was more concerned with reporting about religion, the Sanitary Commission decided "to bring dispassionate principles of science and efficiency to bear on the national crisis." [pg. 111] The Sanitarians made a directory of every soldier committed to a Union hospital included information on the names of all soldiers and their conditions. The Sanitary Commission was more concerned with recording the wounds and names of men rather than their religon. A similarities between the two commissions were that they both tried to record information about each soldier so as to send a letter to the family of the deceased. I believe that the Sanitary Commission was more effective during the Civil War because it told families the wounds of the men and where they died and how they fought rather than learning that they were good Christians. Also the Sanitary Commission kept records of every soldier rather than trying to talk to the soldiers while they were on their death bed.
Both the Christian and Sanitary commissions’ missions were to provide information to families about a soldier’s state of being. This would be accomplished by agents going to battlefields and field hospitals to search for information about soldiers. The Christian Commission “compos[ed] letters ‘for soldiers still lingering’ or ‘to carry last words’, to the soldier’s families. (p. 107) Each piece of stationery distributed to soldiers on the front included the proclamation of the Commission to “… send this sheet as a messenger between the soldier and his home. Let it hasten to those who wait for tidings.” (p. 107) In 1864, the Individual Relief Department was formed. It’s mission was to “respond to inquiries about the fate of individual soldiers.” (p. 109) By the end of the war, the Commission not only provided information to families, but also ensured the preservation of the identities of the dead. Representatives would go to the battlefields and mark bodies with cards and protect soldiers’ graves. The Christian Commission “had come to recognize that its pastoral duties, its concerns for ‘spiritual consolation,’ and its commitment to Christian souls also involved a commitment to Christian bodies and to the individual identity of the immortal self.” (p.110)
“The Christian Commission approached the work of naming the dead rather differently … motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence, [while] the Sanitarians regarded such an approach as unduly sentimental, lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary to a modern age and a modern war.” (p.110) The Sanitarians focused more on prevention of disease and effective management of wounds than relief efforts. However, as time progressed, “order and humanitarianism converged.” (p.111) A Special Relief Service was formed; it distributed extra clothing, procured special foods for the sick, helped discharge soldiers, distributed reading material, and answered inquiries about missing soldiers.
I think both Commissions were effective in their own ways, but the Sanitarians were, in the end, more effective . The Christians were more kind and helpful to soldiers and their families, while the Sanitarians were more effective in keeping soldiers alive longer, and ultimately, became more passionate as time progressed. This combination of passion and effectiveness I believe is more efficient than the Christian Commission.
In response to Amber: You said that "the Sanitary Commission was more effective during the Civil War because it told families the wounds of the men and where they died and how they fought rather than learning that they were good Christians". While I agree that the details provided by the Sanitary Commission were more important than those provided by the Christian Commission, I don't think it would have been seen that way by families of deceased soldiers. I think during the Civil War, people who had suffered a loss looked to religion for support much more than facts and statistics. "Loss demanded an explanation that satisfied hearts as well as minds. Religion remained the most readily available explanatory resource . . ." (174) To families of the deceased, knowing that their loved one was a good Christian and died the Good Death was far more important than knowing all the details of when and where.
The Christian and Sanitary commissions both helped significantly during the Civil War. The Christian Commission supplied paper and envelopes to the Army of the Potomac and help transport letters written by the soldiers to post offices in the area. “After Sherman’s army reached Savannah…soldiers produced three hundred letters a day.”(107) Even when the soldiers were sick or otherwise unable to write, volunteers from the commission wrote in their behalf. There were about five thousand delegates and more than 92,000 letters written by the end of the war. The commission also had the Individual Relief Department which responded to letters written to them about soldiers. Near the end, the Christian Commission tried to, “ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead.”(110) Meanwhile, the Sanitary Commission influence over the people was much greater than the Christian Commission. With their more resources/money, the Sanitary Commission helped with relief efforts and even distributed extra clothing and food for the sick or wounded soldiers. I believe both commissions significantly helped the Union families with some reassurance of their soldier’s fate whether it may be good or bad. Being more personal with the families was strength of the Christian Commission which I believe was more effective. Although, the effectiveness of the Sanitary Commission handing out clothes and food is charitable, if I had a loved one lost at war, I would prefer the Christian Commission to find him because simply, they seemed more interested.
In response to Abbey: I like how in your post you showed both aspects of the two commissions and how they unknowingly worked together. You said, "The Christian Commission provided the most help to some people, whereas the Sanitary Commission provided some help to the most people." I agree with this. Both commissions were successful to all types of families and I believe overall both affected the Union positively.
The basic goal of each commission was to research and write letters regarding the status of soldiers in response to requests made by civilians at home. They both “came to regard [themselves] as ‘a great medium of intercommunication and the Army’,” (pg 117).
The Sanitary Commission “sought to bring dispassionate principles of science and efficiency to bear on the national crisis…with the establishment of rules of military organization that would maximize prevention of disease and effective management of wounds [most important].” (pg 111) They were “led by well-connected members of a wealthy elite [and] attained a size and financial strength that far exceeded that of the Christian Commission.” (pg 111)
The Christian Commission “provided columns for names, units, dates of death, and ‘particulars’, and ‘remarks’ that usually included an assessment of the deceased’s religious state as well as details about the disposition of his body,” (pg 109) and, where possible provide “reassurance that many of the soldiers had indeed died Good Deaths,” (pg 109). The representatives became “increasingly involved in not just providing information to families but in working to ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead,” (pg 110). They were scolded by Sanitarians by their “unduly sentimental, lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary to modern age and a modern war. (pg 110)
If the purpose of Commissions was to inform the families of soldiers about their son, father, et cetera, then the Sanitarians were most effective. Numbers don’t lie. If the purpose of Commissions was to inform the families of soldiers about their son, father, et cetera, FULLY satisfying every family, then the Christian Commission was supreme. Sanitarians just don’t go the extra mile.
Response to Ben You are right about the Christian Commission being more personal but I think the Sanitary Commission did more. Although they thought getting personal was a waste of time, they did end up getting close to the soldiers anyway. They worked hard and they were friendly. Even though they were paid to work, I think they ended up working more than they were paid for. With their money and social status, they could do a lot more for the soldiers and families.
It is easy to say that the main similarity betwwen the hristian and sanitary commisions is that they both helped out the union soilders in some way. the christian commisions supplied 24,000 quires of paper in the spring of 1864. The papers were used to write letters and the commission delegates following Sherman's army "rented rooms and installed desks, where soldiers produced three hundred leters a day."(107)if the soldiers were sick or dieing the deligates wrote the letters or the soldiers. The commisions wrote over 92000 letters for soldiers by the end of the war.
The sanitary commisions took a different way to help soldiers and that was to "maximize prevention of disease and effective management of wounds".(111)Sanitary agents would run out on to the battlefeild after the battle was over to help the soldiers and take care of their wounds.
I have to agree with ben by saying that the sanitary commisions were more effective because they did keep the soldiers alive.
The Sanitary Commission and the Christian Commission had one distinct similarity. They both helped distinguish and name the deceased Union soldiers. The two commissions tackled a very hard task in identifying the dead and wounded.
The Christian Commission was a volunteer group and worked to inform the families of the dead and wounded. They also worked "to ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead." "The Christian Commission was motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence."
Unlike the Christian Commission, the Sanitary Commission worked for money. The Sanitary Commission was more professional than the Christian Commission. Unlike the Christian Commission, "The United States Sanitary Commission sought to bring dispassionate principles of science and efficiency to bear on the national crisis relief efforts." They also ensured the maximum "prevention of disease and effective management of wounds."
The two different commissions definitely had distinct differences in motivation.
Response to Alfredo, I also agree that the Sanitary Commission was more effective. They were better prepared for the job than the Christian Commision. The Sanitary Commission also helped soldiers stay alive and prevent disease outbreaks.
Though the differences between the Sanitary Commission and the Christian Commission were plentiful they had the same vision to provide families with the state of their soldier. One way the two commissions differed was the view they had on the appropriate way to tell the family. The Christian Commission, “included an assessment of the deceased’s religious state” (109), and the Sanitarians believed “ that his (the soldier’s) friends at home should know … his exact condition”. The Christian Commission and Sanitary Commission differed in their beliefs on how personal the letter home should be.
While both commissions were good at getting letters to and from soldiers I believe that the Christian Commission was more effective. I feel this way because The Christian commission had more ways of keeping track of deceased and wounded soldiers. Such as giving printed notebooks to the army so they would be able to easier keep track of the state of soldiers, then transferred into the Christian Commission Death Register. This was an extremely successful way of distributing information about soldiers. The Sanitary Commission, while in the same mindset, was not as efficient. The Sanitarians did not have a personal touch with the soldiers and families, as the Christian Commission did. The Sanitary Commission rather was running a business off the need for a median between the army and home and did not have the soldier’s best interests in mind, but the money they were making. I believe the Christian Commission’s personal touch made the soldiers more at ease as well as their families. The Christian Commission also being volunteers were more likely to get things done faster rather than drag things out in order to make more money. In my point of view the Christian commission was better than the Sanitary Commission.
Though the Christian Commission and the Sanitarians were both committed to finding out the status of soldiers, they had different reasons for doing so. The Christian Commission was comprised of purly volunteers, that would go to the hospitals to help soldiers write home. The Sanitarians, on the other hand, “…represented important manifestations of the effort to use the war as a kind of natural science experiment”. [111] I believe that the Christian Commission was the most effective during the civil war because rather than just identifying wounded soldiers and bodies, they went into the hospitals and helped to write letters and help soldiers communicate with home. “the commission estimated that they had written more than 92,000 letters for soldiers by the end of the war.” [107] This provided families with a soldier’s words and not just a well meant condolence letter from a comrade.
I have to disagree with your statement that the Sanitarians were more effective during the war. Diseases could be studied out side of the battle field, and I have to say that the Christians were more effective during the war because the handled the more pressing matter at the moment which was identifying bodies, and giving soldiers the best death that they could have. “The commission estimated that they had written at least 92,000 letters for soldiers by the end of the war”. [107] At this period in time, religion was everything. Receiving a good death for a soldier who knew that he was going to die from his wounds may have been all that he could hope for. The Christians provided that.
"While the Christian Commission was motivated by humanitarian sympathy an religious benevolence, the Sanitarians regarded such an approach as an unduly sentimental, lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary to a modern age and modern war." The difference between the christian Commission and the Sanitarians Commission is that the Sanitarians commission was less kind about the fallen frankly they were there to make sure that the bodies got out. They did not believe that the religious way was very important they just wanted to get the bodies out of the fields. The Christian Commission wanted to be kind and find all the bodies and get them back home they went out on to the fields for hours gathering bodies. They cared about the men that had died very strongly. They made lists of the dead and wrote letters home to the families of the soldiers they made sure that the families knew about the condition of loved ones. Both of the Commission's wanted get the bodies away from the fields and home they were doing their best even though one believed in finding ways to get information home more than the other, both of the commission's main goals were to get the bodies buried. I think the Christian Commission was most effective because even though they took their time finding the men they got the bodies back to their home and families.
In response to Alfredo, "Diseases could be studied out side of the battle field, and I have to say that the Christians were more effective during the war because the handled the more pressing matter at the moment which was identifying bodies, and giving soldiers the best death that they could have". This statement you made about the diseases being studied out side the battle field is true. I didn't understand why they made a science experiment out of a very serious war. Its unbelievable how so many people have no respect for the dead. I agree with you the Sanitarians Commission was disrespectful and it could have been avoided.
Both the Christian and Sanitary Commissions worked to "provide information to families" about soldiers. They started as "Union-wide charitable efforts...[and] came to regard communication with families as central to their efforts."
The Christian Commission, "in just three months during the spring of 1864" provided "24,000 quires of paper and envelopes to the Army of the Potomac." They also delivered hundreds of letters to post offices from nearby military hospitals and camps. Not only did they deliver paper to troops and letters to post offices, they also wrote letters to the families of soldiers who were dying or dead, to help "to carry 'last words.'" By the end of the war, the commission had estimated that more than 92,000 letters had been sent by them for soldiers. In 1864, the commission created the Individual Relief Department the dealt with "inquiries about the fate of individual soldiers." The Commission worked hard to collect and record information of the soldiers whom they assisted, so the Relief Department could receive as much information as possible to relay to the public. The Commission provided agents with notebooks in which to record this information. Toward the end of the war, the Commission worked to preserve the identities of the dead. many agents worked to record the location, as well as protect, the graves of soldiers.
The Sanitary Commission worked "through a system of paid agents", unlike the Christian Commission which worked through volunteers. This commission worked to establish military organization that would minimize and prevent disease and effectively manage wounds. The Commission's Bureau of Vital Statistics used the war as a kind of science experiment. "'The vast proportions of our national Armies' wrote Charles Stille in his official report of commission activities during the war'...afforded facilities not likely to occur again...and it would have been most unfortunate had the opportunities thus afforded for the study of large numbers of men in their hygienic and physiological relations, been suffered to pass unimproved.'"(111).
The Sanitary Commission greatly exceeded the Christian Commission in both size and financial strength, but in the way of humanitarian efforts, both were almost equally matched. The Sanitary Commission worked to distribute clothing and reading material to soldiers, as well as assist soldiers in finding their way home and answer questions regarding missing soldiers. The commission worked to keep their work orderly, but with battles such as Gettysburg and Antietam, records became confused and spotty, as soldiers became more concerned with caring for the dead and wounded than reporting on their own welfare.
While both commissions were no doubt effective, I believe that the Sanitary Commission was more effective. I don't approve of their idea of treating the war like a science experiment, I do believe that they, as a more widespread and better financed group, were able to help more people than the Christian Commission. They had an organized way of making sure that the public was notified, and the soldiers did not go unnoticed. While the Christian Commission may have been better at notifying individual families, the Sanitarians worked on a broader scale that allowed them to reach more people more quickly.
While I agree with you that the Christian Commission was effective, I have to disagree that it was the most effective. While they did a good job of informing the families of soldiers what had happened to them, I do not think that they were as effective as the Sanitary Commission, based on the fact that they were not as widespread. No doubt the families were relieved the hear that their loved one died Good Deaths, but the Sanitarians had the right idea - tell them when, where, and how they died, and where they are buried; but don't tell them that they will probably go to Heaven because they were resigned to death. Yes, the Good Death was an important part of the culture at the time, but if it were me in that situation, I'd just want to know where my father, brother, husband, etc. was buried and that he hadn't died a painful death.
Both the Christian and the Sanitary Commissions were united in a common purpose, and they "came to regard communication with families as cental to their efforts." In other words, both took on the enormous responsibility of naming the dead and informing the families of soldiers' statuses. The Christian Commission, however carried this out on a much more personal level and even sent personal letters to some families. The Sanitary Commission focused more on reaching a high number of families than the Christian Commission who focused on reaching a smaller number on a more personal level. I think that the Sanitary Commission was far more effective because they helped many more families than the Christian and gave them similar information. The Christian Commission provided the families with the state of the soldier's soul, but with more than 600,000 soldiers dead there was not enough time to provide each family with this information. And this number is not including the other soldiers who were alive or wounded that also had to be accounted for. Even the Sanitary Commission struggled with the high number of reports to be given to the families, but they did a more effective job of acheiving their purpose which was communicating the status of soldiers with their families.
You make a very good point when you say that "If the purpose of Commissions was to inform the families of soldiers about their son, father, et cetera, then the Sanitarians were most effective. Numbers don’t lie. If the purpose of Commissions was to inform the families of soldiers about their son, father, et cetera, FULLY satisfying every family, then the Christian Commission was supreme." The views people have regarding the effectiveness of the commission are based off of their view of its purpose. Effective is defined as "producing the desired or intended result." Therefore, the effectiveness of the commissions was relative to what the desired or intended result was. It is for theis reason that I think the Sanitary Commission was more effective because its purpose was to communicate the status of the soldiers to each family, not to befriend and look after the families.
"The two most significant Union-wide charitable efforts to grow out of the war" (pg. 107) were the Christian Commission and the Sanitary Commission. The two commissions are comparable when identified from their main goals and functions. These organizations' main purpose was to find out and document soldier records such as name, unit, condition, religious state, and if applicable, date of death and details about the deposition of the body. After succeeding this task, they then informed the soldiers' families about the death. Also, "like the Christian Commission, the Sanitary Commission came to regard itself as a "great medium of intercommunication between the people and the Army," and it was soon overwhelmed with requests for information" (pg. 111). Although the purpose of the Commissions is similar, each one is greatly diverse when broken down.
The Christian Commission consisted of commission delegates and general field agents. The delegates, on their behalf, composed letters ""for soldiers still lingering" or to carry 'last words'" (pg. 111). The field agents, however, found and identified the dead. Both were unpaid volunteers who were "motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence" (pg. 110). The Christian Commission not only informed the families, but also cared to preserve the identity of the dead.
The Sanitarian Commission consisted of paid agents who thought more of the present human needs and demands than caring about the deaths as much as the Christians. The Sanitarians sought to "bring dispassionate principles of science and efficiency to bear on the national crisis" (pg. 111). Because they were financially strong, the Sanitary Commission later created many bureaus in order to meet society's needs. Although they were less sincere about each and every soldier as the Christians, the Sanitarians rescued many more people by preventing death in as many ways as they could.
Both the Chrisians and the Sanitarians were effective in their own way, but I think that the Sanitary Commission was more effective overall. Instead of taking their time to personally write a letter one by one to families like the Christian Commission, they used their time to help a greater range. Therefore, more people were assisted by the Sanitary Commission.
In response to Jessi: In you response to Ben you stated that you believed the Sanitary Commisions were more effective because they were more widespread. I will agree that they were more widespread and gave out more information, but the information wasn't as important to the information the Chirstian Commisions were giving out. Although they were less widespread they gave the news everyone wanted to hear. Did they die a good death? The mention of good death happened so many times during the first four chapters they author is saying this was very important during this time. You said,"Yes, the Good Death was an important part of the culture at the time, but if it were me in that situation, I'd just want to know where my father, brother, husband, etc. was buried and that he hadn't died a painful death." Well it might not be important to you now(it isn't for me either) but we live in 2009 not during the Civil War. Times have changed.
"In the North both the Christian Commission and the Sanitary Commission, the two most significant Union-wide charitable efforts to grow out of the war, came to regard communication with families as central to their efforts." The Christian and Sanitary Commissions’' jobs were to let families of Union soldiers know what their soldier's status is. Both of the commissions accomplished this job, but did it very differently. The Christian Commission communicated to the families in multiple ways. They “proclaimed its commitment in words printed at the top of each page of the stationary it distributed to soldiers.” Then the commission sent this sheet to the families from the soldier. The Christian Commission provided the Union with envelopes and paper to send to their families stating how they are doing. If the soldiers were very ill or passed away the unpaid volunteers wrote on their behalf composing letters stating how they died. This comforted many families because this explained to them if their son, brother, or husband had died a good death. “The Sanitary Commission approached the work of naming the dead rather differently, in keeping with the more general contrasts that distinguished the two agencies.” Unlike the Christian Commission the Sanitarians worked through a system of “paid agents”(pg 110) Many believed the Sanitarians were more productive because they had a more widespread commission and therefore lead to more information to the public. Both of these commissions were very important and were beneficial to the families of the Union. Because of this I had a hard time picking between the two. The Sanitary Commission seemed to make the Christian Commission’s weakness their strength. (Christians weren’t very widespread Sanitarians were). In contrast the Christian Commission’s strength was the Sanitarians weakness. (Christians were more personal then the Sanitarians.) After re-reading the text multiple times I decided the Christians were more beneficial because during that time dying a good death was very important to all the families.
"The Christian Commission proclaimed it's commitment in words printed at the top of each page of the of the stationary it distributed to soldiers at the front: "The U.S. Christian Commission send this sheet as a messenger between the soldier and his home. Let it hasten to those who wait for tidings."(pg.107) The Christian Commission wrote in the behalf of soldier still lingering to carry last words to his family. "It was one of the fundamental responsibilities of it's five thousand delagates, as the commission described it, "to spare no pains to give immediate and accurate information of the wounded and dead to those who waited"(pg.107) The Christian Commission organized the Individual Relif Department, this was designed for families to write to inquiring about the fate of individual soldiers. Many of these were answered by this program giving families peace of mind to know at least if thier loved one was dead or alive. Another thing that the Christian Commission did to give families at home as much information as possible was to start a "Christian Commission Death Register" which listed names, units, dates of deaths, and the deceased religous state, as well as the dispostion of his body. As far as the Sanitary Commission goes they, "approached the work of naming the dead rather differently, in keeping with more general contrasts that distinguished the two agencies. While the Christian Commission was motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religous benevolence, the Sanitarians regrded such an approach as unduly sentimental, lacking hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary to a modern age and a modern war."(pg. 110) Ths United States Sanitary Commission did not bring sympathy into the system. They believed in using "dispassionate principles of science and efficiancy to bear the national crisis" The Sanitary Commission was led by the wealthy elite and therefore attained a size and financial strengh that far exceeded the Christian Commission. One similarity that the two commissions have in common is that they came to regard themselves as a "great medium of intercommunication between the people and the Army". I beleive that the Sanitary Commisssion was more effective during the Civil War. If the Christian Commission had the resources that the Sanitary Commission had, I think they would have been much more effective with their methods. The Sanitary Commission was able to reach out to more people and give more information because of their wealth, that is why they were more effective. However, I think that the ways of the Sanitary Commission didn't make quite as much sense as the Christian Commission because death is a very religous thing, and therefore the commission should've approached this in more of a religous way.
In response to lee phan: I agree with your post. I also think that the Sanitary Commission was more effective than the Christian Commission during the CIvil War. More people were assisted because they didn't make each death so personal. Although I like the Christian Commissions approach more, Because death is a very personal thing, and writing a personal letter was probably very comforting to the families, I realize that since they did this they were unable to reach out and assist as many people as the Sanitary Commission did.
Both of the charitable organizations, being the Sanitary Commission and the Christian Commission, in my opinion, did a fantastic job, and neither can be given the title “the best organization.” The Christian Commission was the more personal one of the two. The Christian Commission took personal letters on a daily basis. These letters begged for information on certain individual’s status, whether they were ok, or dead or wounded. The Commission tried its best to answer the majority of them. [pg. 108] the Christian commission also aided in the identification of the fallen. They also prided themselves in trying to find out what exactly happened to the dead soldiers. Members of the Commission would go to the battlefield and search for bodies. They would try and identify graves and who occupied them. The Sanitary Commission on the other hand, was not as personal. This Commission also responded to families’ inquiries, and tried its best to locate the spots where the dead soldiers lay. [pg.111] The Sanitary Commission also helped to create a hospital directory to try and centralize the information gathered about dead or wounded soldiers that came through the war’s hospitals. The Sanitary Commission also tried to respond to personal inquiries, about the whereabouts of soldiers. At the end of the war, the Sanitary Commission answered roughly 70% of all of the inquiries. In my opinion, I think that both Commissions were equally effective in the time of the Civil War. They both helped families find closure from the deaths of their soldiers.
In response to Alfredo: Alfredo makes an excellent point about how the Sanitary Commission was more effective than the Christian Commission, because they helped care for the wounded soldiers. During the Civil War, the carnage was so incredibly bad that the medical service was seriously lacking. This is where the Sanitary Commission came in. They aided the hospitals in treating the wounded after battles. This had to help the survival rate after large battles. I think that Alfredo has a good point when he says that the Sanitary Commission was more effective because of its aide to the wounded.
The Christian and Sanitary Commissions both had the same goal in the war, but they took different approaches. They were both charitable efforts for the Union, but the Christian Commission was "motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence" (pg. 110) while the Sanitary Commission used a method of science and efficiency. The CC's volunteers comforted survivors using "spiritual consolation" and respected the dead (taking a Christian approach) while doing their job, which was making life easier for the soldiers. The Sanitary Commission thought that the CC was a very amateur and old fashioned organization. The SC had paid agents (wealthy elite people) that used rules of military organization and thought that relief efforts were not very important. The war was one big science experiment to them. The SC's overall size, wealth, and public influence was much greater than the CC's. And although the SC tried not to get involved very much with human needs like the CC, they did. I believe that the Christian Commission was more effective because it helped other human beings more personally than the SC. I believe in one on one time with people can help them more. The CC's Christian beliefs guided them in aiding the the soldiers and families. They helped by being buried in human needs (what the SC was trying not to do).
Response to Austin- Although I said that I believe the Christian Commission did a better job because they were more personal, I agree with you. The Sanitary Commission was very organized and answered a lot of inquiries. After reading your post about how both commissions did an excellent job, I would have to agree with you!
Response to Jamie: You’re right there’s no question that the Sanitary Commission got more done than the Christian Commission, but does that alone make them more effective? On page 107 Faust says both commissions “came to regard communication with families as central to their efforts.” So if communication with families was what determined effectiveness the Christian Commission was more effective because of the personal touch it had with families. In addition if we were to look at the effectiveness of each based on the resources each commission had, we would see that even though the Christian Commission had less money and public support, they still produced solid results that were comparable to the Sanitary Commission. You’re definitely right, the Sanitary Commission had better numbers than the Christian Commission, but better numbers don’t always mean greater effectiveness.
Both the Sanitary Commission and the Christian Commission were effective groups in gathering information on the death of soldiers. The Christian Commission however was the more personal group of these two commissions. Its focus was to comfort and support the dying soldiers as well as their families through a Christian approach. This commission also recorded the religious conditions the soldiers were in as they died whether it was “A Good Death”, “unknown” or “not a Christian”. The Christian Commission also began to fulfill other religious duties to the soldiers including the preservation of their identities. “In the course of the war the Christian Commission had come to recognize that its pastoral duties, its concerns for “spiritual consolation,” and its commitment to Christian souls also involved a commitment to Christian bodies and to the individual identity of the immortal self (110).” This group was run by volunteers who gave their time to help the dying soldiers. The Sanitary Commission was a more modern group that focused on efficiency rather than sympathy and religious beliefs. They treated the soldiers through a more scientific approach concentrating on the needs of the living more than the needs of the dead. “Led by well-connected members of a wealthy elite, the Sanitary Commission attained a size and financial strength, as well as a public influence and reach, that far exceeded that of the Christian Commission (110).” I believe both the Christian Commission and the sanitary commission were effective in aiding soldiers on their death bed. The Christian group was effective because it treated to the soldier’s spiritual needs and religious beliefs more than the Sanitary Commission. They treated each soldier and their family individually concentrating on a Good Death. The Sanitary group concentrated of healing the wounds of the living and answering questions in an effective manner. These two groups balance each other in the ways of treating each soldier religiously and with the needs of the living.
In response to Austin Parr: I agree with Austin Parr that both Commissions played an important role in aiding families in search of their family members. The Sanitary Commission focused on organization of information and answering the questions presented to them while the Christian Commission focused more on humanitarian sympathy and religious guidance. Each group has its effectiveness and advantage over the opposing group. The two groups each have their flaws but are balanced by the other commission.
The Christian and Sanitary commissions were both organizations in the North that helped out soldiers and their families’ during the war.
The Christian Commission had unpaid volunteers. They wrote and delivered letters to families of soldiers. They also tried to keep track of all the dead after battles through records kept. “Representatives became increasingly involved not just in providing information to families but in working to ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead.” (Pg. 110). The Christian Commission was there on a more personal level than the Sanitary Commission.
The Sanitary Commission paid people. Instead of being personal, they wanted to use science and efficiency. “Led by well-connected members of a wealthy elite, the Sanitary Commission attained a size and financial strength, as well as a public influence and reach, that far exceeded that of the Christian Commission.” (Pg. 111). The Sanitary Commission had created the Special Relief Service. This service distributed clothing, food, and reading material. It also helped soldiers find their way home and would answer questions about missing soldiers.
I think that both commissions were equally effective. The Christian Commission fulfilled its goal to communicate to families and report deaths. They also became “increasingly involved” which just made them get stronger and stronger. They were there to comfort families and soldiers and it was good for everyone. I don’t know what would have happened without the Sanitary Commission. They helped out the soldiers so much by giving them necessities. It helped that they had a financial strength. They were also there to answer questions from family members. These two commissions worked hand in hand together. Without the other, they would have been less effective with more work.
In response to Nicole: I disagree with you. I think that the Sanitary Commission did help a lot of other human beings. They gave soldiers necessities such as food, clothing, and reading materials to get their mind off of war for a little bit. They also did answer questions from families about missing soldiers and helped soldiers get back home. I do agree that the Christian Commission’s outlook on being more personal helped them, but without the other, neither would be very effective.
The Christian and Sanitary Commissions were similar in many of their efforts such as family communication. Both Commissions believed family connections "as central to their efforts." (pg. 107). This quote explains how important relationships were to everyone involved in the war, especially families of soldiers. The Christian Commission cared more about a soldiers' well-being. Volunteers from the Christian Commission felt that they should create a certain relationship with the soldiers while the Sanitary Commission didn't care about personal relations as much as they did to get things done. "Unpaid volunteers upon whom the work of the organization rested-wrote in their [soldiers] behalf, composing letter 'to carry last words'." (pg. 107). This quote shows how the Christian Commission cared more about sympathy and took a more religious approach to caring for the dead and their families. "While the Christian Commission was motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence, the Sanitarians regarded such an approach as unduly sentimental, lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary to a mordern world and a modern war." (pg. 110) this quote shows the major difference between the two Commissions. I believe that both commissions were equally effective because one would not be able to survive without the other. If the Christian Commission weren't there, the Sanitarians would not have been able to ease the pain from families and there would have been unsatisfied familes. However, of the Sanitarian Commission didn't exist, the Christians would have gotten nothing done with identifying the dead.
Response to Samantha Cook: You quote that “the [Sanitary] Commission should have approached death in a more religious way,” because “death is a religious thing.” If the Sanitary Commission did focus more on religious state, it would make them more like the Christian Commission, and they wouldn’t be able to satisfy nearly as many people, therefore defeating the purpose of their mission in the first place. I disagree with you when you say that money was what made the Sanitary Commission so much more effective. I think that the Christian Commission couldn’t have informed so many as the Sanitary Commission even if both groups had the same amount of money. However, I agree that the Christian Commission is more efficient at what they do, however I believe that what they did was less efficient overall.
Both the Sanitary and Christian Commissions did amazing things during the civil war, “the two most significant Union-wide charitable efforts to grow out of the war.” (107) their main goal was communications to the soldier’s families. The Christian commission gave the soldiers paper to write to their loved ones, “During the spring of 1864 the commission had reported that it had supplied 24,000quires of paper and envelopes to the Army of the Potomac.” (107). The Christian commission worked off unpaid volunteers. If a soldier had died they would try to pass the message on to the family. The Christian commission estimated 92,000 had been written for soldiers by the end of the war. They weren’t always able to send the family accurate information. So to try to minimize this problem they sent notebooks into the battlefields to try to identify the soldiers and get their last words and where they had passed. The Sanitary commission did things differently. The Christian commission did what they did for sympathy and religion. The sanitary commission did things for “hard headed realism” (110) they had a system of paid agents. They inspected camps and soldiers which in a way became more like an experiment. They got more than just their final words and location of their death. But they worked with much more funds than the Christian commission did. During the war I’m sure both of these efforts were greatly appreciated. But because the sanitary commission was funded they got more work done. For that reason I believe they were more effective.
The Christian and Sanitary Commissions worked to provide information to Union families about soldiers throughout the war.
Both of the Commissions cared for the families, however, the Christian commission cared more about creating a personal relationship with the soldiers and cared more about the soldiers' well being. Also, they had volunteers that weren't paid and they, "became increasingly involved... in working to ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead.” (Pg. 110).
The Sanitary Commissions on the other hand used productivity and knowledge, rather than communicating on a personal level. They had paid professionals, elite that were able to attain public popularity during the course of the war. They also created the Special Relief Service that distributed things such as clothes to the soldiers and also helped them communicate with home. They treated things more like an experiment and recorded every detail.
To me, I feel that both Commissions made amazing efforts to help the soldiers in the war, and the public greatly appreciated their work. However, even though the Christian Commission was more sympathetic, the Sanitary Commission was able to find more information and therefore help the public even more.
I have to agree with Jenna that the Sanitary Commissions was very helpful to the soldiers in the war. The SC was able to create the Special Relief Service which, like Jenna explained, distributed food, clothes, and reading material. Although they did not reach a personal level with the soldiers, like the CC did, they were able to help the soldiers keep their minds off the terrors of war. Yes, I agree that the CC's sympathy helped them a lot, however the SC was able to aid more soldiers and therefore be more successful in the war. You both made really good points in your posts.
In response to Nicole You made some extremely good points in that the Sanitary Commissions did provide alot of help to soldiers and that the Christian Commission did provide alot of sympathy however they did not provide as much info as the SC did as they had better info available for the deceased families. Awesome points you made in your post.
The Christian and Sanitary commissions both helped immensely in the war. The Sanitary commission supplied the soldiers with new clothes and food. With their more resources/money, the Sanitary Commission helped with relief efforts, and even distributed extra clothing and food for the sick or wounded soldiers. Also their influence over the people was much greater than the Christian Commission. The Christian commission had supplied paper and envelopes to the Army of the Potomac. They even helped transport letters written by the soldiers to post offices in the area. The soldiers were then able to stay in better touch with their kin. Then even when the soldiers were sick or otherwise unable to write, volunteers from the commission wrote in their behalf. There were more than 92,000 letters written by the end of the war. Near the end of the war, the Christian Commission tried to, “ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead.”(110). I believe that both commissions contributed greatly to the war. Although I believe that the Christian commission was more effective during the war. Helping the soldiers write to their kin was one of the best things anyone could do. Most of the soldiers just wanted to reassure their family that they were OK, or be able to tell them if they were hurt. The Christian commission just seemed more caring to the soldiers personal needs, than the Sanitary commission.
I agree with all of your post. I like how you included the quote “After Sherman’s army reached Savannah…soldiers produced three hundred letters a day.”(107) it really shows how grateful the soldiers were to be given that opportunity, to write to their kin. It makes your point much stronger.
The main purpose for the commissions were to communicate between soldiers and families. The Christian commission gave a closer, more emotional connection with the soldiers. They gave out thousands of stationary papers to soldiers for their last words. If a soldier died and had a letter, it would be sent to the family. The Christian commission also had a relief department that tried to answer letters of families. They also kept a book of dead soldiers with their final conditions. These volunteers were motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religion. The Sanitary commission made less of a connection with soldiers, but took a more efficient approach. They had financial strength so they were able to expand faster. They gave soldiers clothes, food, and transportation. They made hospital directories, so families could sees if their loved ones were in hospitals. With both of the commissions working on trying to identify soldiers, they helped many families. They completed each others work.
I disagree with you. I believe that the Christian commission helped the families more than the Sanitary commission. The christian commission helped families find their dead loved ones. They also told the family about the soldiers death. That goes back to the,ars moriendi. I think that was important to the families.
The Christian and Sanitary Commissions’ objectives were, “communication with families (107).” The Christian Commission was all unpaid volunteers while the Sanitary commission was all paid agents. The Christian commission got emotionally involved and did everything they could to make the soldiers comfortable at the time. The Sanitary commission enforced military rules to help prevent diseases and they treated their soldiers like natural science experiments. The Christian Commission supplied paper, pens, and writing spaces to the soldiers while the Sanitary Commission created detailed lists of the soldiers’ condition. Those were the main differences between the Christian and Sanitary Commissions. They both worked for the same cause, though. They both wanted to let families know the condition of their loved ones, whether it was from a scientifical standpoint or a sympathetic standpoint. They both recorded the dead, when and how they died, and they both were working to make families aware of the condition of their soldiers. I’m kind of torn between the two commissions; I sort of lean towards the Christian Commission because they were helping soldiers because they wanted to (it was a volunteered organization). But then again, I lean towards the Sanitary Commission because they had the science to prevent disease and made new medicines to help clean their wounds more efficiently. It was a close tie between the two but I would go with the Sanitary Commission because they used science to help stop disease and to maybe even cure some sick or wounded soldiers.
I believe that the Christian Commission was more effective at the beginning the Civil War. "While the Christian Commission was motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence, the Sanitarians regarded such an approach as an unduly sentimental, lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary to a modern age and a modern war." (pg 110) Soon the Sanitarians became more like the Christian Commission and started realizing more of the hurt of war and started helping out a lot more. I think they both made a great impact and helped a lot of people and soldiers in the end.
In response to Rachel: I agree with you that the Christian Commission was more efficient. I think they helped the nation to heal while also letting families know about their lost soldiers, therefore surpassing the Sanitary Commission’s lack of personal touch. I feel the same way, “if I had a loved one lost at war, I would prefer the Christian Commission to find him”. I think if you were to ask the people back then which commission the preferred they would say the CC because they made the people feel that they had the interests of the soldiers in mind.
I agree with your statement that “the Christian Commission was more effective because it helped other human beings more personally than the SC. I believe in one on one time with people can help them more,” but only in a mental sense. Care and affection is not going to help a soldier survive a war, and will really only help dying soldiers’ mental states. The Sanitary Commission provided clothes and medical aid to soldiers as well as things to take their mind off the war. In my opinion, these necessities are more important than being extremely friendly and caring. The Sanitary Commission also notified families on the status of soldiers. Due to its size, wealth, and extent, I believe that overall the Sanitary Commission was more beneficial to soldiers and their families than the Christian Commission was.
I disagree with you that the Sanitarian Commission became more like the Christians by creating relationships with the soldiers. The Sanitarians did want communications with the families to be their biggest effort but they didn't want to have special relationships with the soldiers who were probably going to die soon. That would throw off what the Commission was there for. The Sanitarians took care of most of the identification processes while the Christians were there to help ease the pain.
I agree with you that the Sanitary Commission was more effective. They did more than just get letters from the soldier to the family. The Sanitary Commission used more of realism than just sympathy. The Christian Commission was more passionate about keeping, “a personal relationship with the soldiers” like you said. But because of how they did things they couldn’t have been as productive as the Sanitary Commission. However I also agree with you that they both did their best to help communication during the Civil War.
Due to the large increase in fatalities during the Civil War, both the Christian and Sanitary commissions held an important role in recording and compiling information on the dead. The Christian Commission, however, focused on the humane aspect of the fallen soldiers and would contact the family of the deceased and inform them of their loss. The Christian Commission even started receiving letters about the condition of certain soldiers. The Sanitary Commission regarded the Christian Commission as, “lacking the hard-headed realism” (pg.110). The Sanitary Commission’s focus was on the details and science of how the soldiers died. While both commissions were effective and important, I believe the Christian Commission was more effective because the regarded the fallen soldiers as people instead of numbers and brought some measure of peace to a family who lost someone in the war. They acted in a caring and responsible way by both recording the deaths and dealing with the effect on the civilians.
The Sanitary Commission and the Christian Commission both were organizations whose goal was to inform families about the conditions of their loved ones. They both had different style the Christian was more personal and caring where as the Sanitary was more to the point and productive. They both did the job but i believe Sanitary did a better job. The Catholic was more personal but was "lacking the hard-headed realism". The Sanitary was down to the point telling the family the condition of there loved one and the rest of the basic information the family. The Christian was more sappy and caring and cared about last word and that stuff witch is nice but it is war not the precious final moments of your life in a bed next to your family. Your lying in a field surrounded by dead or dying comrades or enemies. The Christian Commission's view was nice but not logical in a war.
I agree with you When you said that Sanitary got more work done. They didn't go looking for some compelling story to send to the parents they went with the work mentality to get stuff done. Therefore they were more productive.
There were quite a few similarities and differences between the Christian Commission and the Sanitary Commision during the Civil War. The Christian Commission worked more to inform families of the news of the war and to identify bodies. Whereas the Sanitary Commission worked more to make rules that would prevent diseases and wounds. I believe that both of these organizations were effective during the war but even as stated on page 111, the Sanitary Commission was more effective during the war. I do believe that the Sanitary Commission was more effective although I also thought that the Christian Commission was very effective as well because it had a gentle way of reaching the families of lost soldiers.
I agree with you that the Sanitary Commission was more effective because it was. However I do not agree with you that just because it is the war there should not be care for the families of lost loved ones and consideration about the details of the death of loved soldiers. I can definitely see where you are coming from, I just do not fully agree. I think that both organizations were logical even if the Sanitary Commmission was more effective.
I agree with you that the Sanitary Commission did more work. It is kind of like they were more dedicated and devoted. They helped soldiers stay alive, and they tried to prevent disease outbreaks from occurring. I do not think money was a problem, because it was like they were doing the kindness out of their hearts. "..the Sanitary Commission came to regard itself as a "great medium of intercommunication between the people and the Army" (pg. 111)
The Christian Commission helped soldiers write letters home. When soldiers were sick or dying, they would write for them. Commission delegates took on the responsibility to identify the dead and notify the family. The commission organized the Individual Relief Department that answered specific questions of people back home. They distributed notebooks so the delegates could write down who they assisted and the information could be passed along easily. The Christian Commission came very involved in identifying the dead. This commission worked hard and they really cared about each soldier and they tried not only to help the soldiers but the families as well. In the Sanitary Commission the agents were paid unlike in the Christian system. The Sanitary Commission wanted to use science and efficiency instead of being personal and caring. The Sanitary Commission had financial strength and public influence unlike the Christian Commission. This system developed the Special Relief Service where they distributed clothing and food and other kinds of necessities to the soldiers. This commission did a far worse job of answering requests from people. They only successfully answered about seventy percent of the requests. I think the Christian Commission was more effective because they cared more about the soldiers. They didn’t provide the soldiers with necessary commodities like the Sanitary Commission which is a negative. I picked them because they were unpaid and they did a far better job responding to people’s inquiries. I feel that as a team the two commissions worked together very well though. It is important to have some people getting paid and some not that way you have a money flow and diversity in goals to accomplish.
Jonah- in response to David White: I agree with you. When the two organizations worked together as you put it "they completed each others work" I feel that there needs to always be more than one person or better yet groups of individuals working on the same end goal. That way you will have differnt approches and ideas flowing at the same time and they will balance each other to make a great team
The Christian Commission's job was to identify dead soldiers and notify their families. They worked from a more humanitarian point of view, without being paid, and just doing what they did out of sympathy. The Sanitarian Commission took more of a efficient approach. They tried to get clothes and food distributed as fast as possible, and they were paid for what they did.
I think the Christian Commission was more effective. They showed care and sympathy for the dead or dying soldiers, and their families, whereas the Sanitarian Commission just tried to get as much done as quickly as they could. I think that although it is important to help a large amount of people, I think the Christian Commission had a more noble cause, in trying to care and show sympathy for people.
I agree with what you said about it being a negative that the Christian Commission didnt provide the necessary commodities. But I also agree with what you said about them responding better to peoples' questions. They did a better job at explaining what happened at the time of a person's death, which I think is probably more of what the families were looking for, even if the Sanitarian commission did provide the necessary commodities.
The Sanitary and Christian Commissions had different aims and values. The Sanitary Commisson, as stated on page 111, sought to "maximize prevention of disease and effective management of wounds." This organization was made up of paid individuals. The Christian Commision, a volunteer group, was much more religiously based and driven to act as a "messenger between the soldier and his home," as stated on page 107.
But however the two groups differed in their goals, they both acheived the same result. Inquiries were sent to both organizations about the whereabouts of soldiers and both answered such question. Both published directories and lists of the deceased.
The Sanitary commision, however, appears to have come out the victor in their success, as they became more well known and knowledably answered 9,203 questions about soldiers. (pg 112) They were the more successful organization because of this high number of inquiries answered.
I agree with Cameron Whiteside about the effectiveness of the Sanitary Commission. The Commission set about to be less religious and more "realistic", as it was put in the book. For them to make death more religious or even sentimental would have been contrary to their goal. Though not all have to agree with giving death more realism than religion, it was the goal of the Commission. And it lead to the number of inquiries they answered being not only effective, but astounding.
I agree with you that the Sanitary Commission was effective, but I think that the Sanitary Commission lost sight of the fact that they were dealing with civilian family members. They were honest, sure, but they didn’t provide the family with the condolences they would want. I think the Sanitary Commission looked at their work as a job to be completed ASAP.
The Christian and the sanitary commission were both charitable organizations that were designed to help soldiers in the field and at home. The Christian commission‘s main purpose was to send letters between soldiers and their families to get them to be able to communicate. Also the Christian commission wrote letters for injured and sick soldiers to convey the dying soldiers’ last words and wishes to their families. In the last year of the war the Christian commission organized the individual relief department which was designed to “respond to inquiries about the fate of individual soldiers”. The sanitary commission on the other hand, instead of using “humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence” they used an approach of a more scientific and efficient nature. Also instead of their main focus being to write letters from soldiers to their families, they wanted to establish rules of military organization to maximize prevention of disease and effective management of wounds. I believe the Christian commission was more effective because I think it is more important for the families of soldiers to know what has happened to their kin rather than the soldiers be injured and dying and their families not knowing about it.
There is one main similarity between the Christian commision and the Sanitary commision,which is that they both helped out the soldiers significantly in their own ways. The Christian commision helped by providing paper and envelopes to the soldiers so that they could write letters home if and when they wished. Alltogether, they would come up with roughly 300 letters daily,the commisions wrote over 92000 letters for soldiers throughout the war.The Sanitary commision on the other hand, sought to "maximize prevention of disease and effective management of wounds"(page 111), paid individuals made up this organization...
I would have to agree that the Sanitary commision had a more effective approach because after battles they would run onto the battlefeild to help soldiers and treat thier wounds,
In response to Jordyn: I don't necesarrily agree with you about the Sanitary Commissions. Just because they had more funds than the Christian Commission did, doesn't mean they did it for the right reasons. The Christian Commissions did it because they felt sympathy which means more to me than money does. And the Sanitary Commissions did it just for the realism.
"Voluntary organizations worked...to provide information to families."(pg.107) Both the Christian and Sanitary commission were significant Union-wide charitable efforts. The Christian Commission supplied paper and envelopes for soldiers to write home and they transferred those letters. When soldiers were sick or dying, the unpaid commission delegates would write in their behalf. Those delegates took on the responsibility to identify the dead and notify the family at home. Later, the commission organized the Individual Relief Department where they answered specific inquiries about a soldier. They distributed notebooks so the delegates could write down who they assisted and the information could be passed along easily. The Christian Commission "became increasingly involved not just in providing information to families but in working to ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead."(pg.110) This commission worked hard and they really cared about each soldier and they tried not only to help the soldiers but the families as well.
ReplyDeleteThe Sanitary Commission regarded the Christian Commission’s approach as "unduly sentimental, lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary..."(pg.110) IN this system, the agents were paid unlike in the Christian system. The Sanitary Commission wanted to use science and efficiency instead of being personal and caring. The Sanitary Commission had financial strength and public influence unlike the Christian Commission. This system developed the Special Relief Service where they distributed clothing and food and other kinds of necessities. Many of the requests for information to this commission went sadly unanswered. They only successfully answered about seventy percent of the requests. "The Sanitarians became humanitarians and sentimentalists in spite of themselves."(pg.116)
I think the Sanitary Commission was much more effective during the Civil War. Although they did not think getting close to the soldiers was smart or efficient, they ended up becoming personal anyway. They seemed to have done more. Although they were being paid, they gave back more than they were being paid for. They helped soldiers find their way home, they relieved the anxiety of families, and they provided food and clothing. The Sanitary Commission was very helpful and the North would have suffered without them.
I do not think that either the Christian or Sanitary commission was more effective than the other during the Civil War, but rather that each commission completed the work of the other; what the Sanitary Commission lacked in personal touch, the Christian Commission made up for, and what the Christian Commission lacked in size and influence, the Sanitary Commission made up for. The Christian Commision provided the most help to some people, whereas the Sanitary Commission provided some help to the most people.
ReplyDeleteThe Christian Commission tried to connect with soldiers and their families on a personal level. They did things such as writing and delivering letters to families on behalf of soldiers, providing families with information, "working to ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead" (110), and initiating relief efforts for the sick and wounded. They were "motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence" (110).
The Sanitary Commission was less personal, but was able to help many more people because it had "attained a size and financial strength, as well as a public influence and reach, that far exceeded that of the Christian Commission" (111). The efforts of the Sanitary Commission were at first focused mainly on "the establishment of rules of military organization that would maximize prevention of disease and effective management of wounds" (111). Later, however, they created the Special Relief Service, which provided for the immediate and essential needs of soldiers, such as food and clothing.
While the two commissions did not necessarily appreciate each other's work - "the Sanitary Commission derided the amateurishness inherent in the volunteer efforts of the Christian Commission" (111) - they unknowingly worked together on a certain level to help soldiers and their families.
As a result of the government’s struggle to communicate with families the Christian and Sanitary commissions were created. Those commissions “came to regard communication with families as central to their efforts.”(pg.107) Both commissions searched for, and recorded information about soldier’s deaths, then reported that information to the families, so in effect the commissions became the “middle-men” between families and the army. Although the commissions shared a common goal the ideals that drove those goals were different. The Sanitary commission believed the Christian commission was “lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary.”(pg.110) Both of these commissions were effective in what they did, but I believe the Christian commission was more effective. As “middle-men” between the families and army the commission’s main job was to communicate, which the Christian commission did effectively by writing and providing letters, comforting both soldiers and families, and researching and reporting deaths. Although the Christian commission didn’t have the financial or public support the Sanitary commission did, it instead had a more personal touch with families and was very effective in it’s goal to communicate with those families more so than the Sanitary commission.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that neither the Sanitary nor the Christian commission were more effective than the other. While the Christian Commission was motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence, the Sanitarians regarded such an approach as unduly sentimental, lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary to modern age and a modern war. (pg.110). The Christian commission provided writing materials to soldiers. They too were able to communicate with the families of wounded soldiers on their behalf. This commission was very caring as they were unpaid as well but cared so much about the soldiers and the families and communication was essential for this commission. This commission created the Individual Relief Department, this department answered questions pertaining to individual soldiers and they delivered notebooks to soldiers.
ReplyDeleteThe Sanitary commission was a paid organization but yet they seemed to be less caring to me about the soldiers and their families. But this commission was able to help more families and soldiers and provide more as they had the financial backing that the Christian commission lacked. The Sanitary commission created the Special Relief Service which delivered clothing and food and other essential items.
In my opinion I believe that the Christian commission was more personal with the soldiers and their families. They seemed to be more caring than the Sanitary commission although the Sanitary commission was paid and the Christian commission was not.
The similarities were that both commissions provided families with information about soldiers and gave them essential items wether it be writing materials or clothing to food. But I believe that the Christian commission was more effective during the civil war because they were more personal with the families and the soldiers.
Some differences between the Christian and Sanitary commissions were that the Christian Commission made "an assessement of deceased's religious state, as well details about the disposition of his body." [pg.109] They also included in their reports if the "soldiers had indeed died Good Deaths" [pg. 109]. While the Christian Commission was more concerned with reporting about religion, the Sanitary Commission decided "to bring dispassionate principles of science and efficiency to bear on the national crisis." [pg. 111] The Sanitarians made a directory of every soldier committed to a Union hospital included information on the names of all soldiers and their conditions. The Sanitary Commission was more concerned with recording the wounds and names of men rather than their religon. A similarities between the two commissions were that they both tried to record information about each soldier so as to send a letter to the family of the deceased. I believe that the Sanitary Commission was more effective during the Civil War because it told families the wounds of the men and where they died and how they fought rather than learning that they were good Christians. Also the Sanitary Commission kept records of every soldier rather than trying to talk to the soldiers while they were on their death bed.
ReplyDeleteBoth the Christian and Sanitary commissions’ missions were to provide information to families about a soldier’s state of being. This would be accomplished by agents going to battlefields and field hospitals to search for information about soldiers. The Christian Commission “compos[ed] letters ‘for soldiers still lingering’ or ‘to carry last words’, to the soldier’s families. (p. 107) Each piece of stationery distributed to soldiers on the front included the proclamation of the Commission to “… send this sheet as a messenger between the soldier and his home. Let it hasten to those who wait for tidings.” (p. 107) In 1864, the Individual Relief Department was formed. It’s mission was to “respond to inquiries about the fate of individual soldiers.” (p. 109) By the end of the war, the Commission not only provided information to families, but also ensured the preservation of the identities of the dead. Representatives would go to the battlefields and mark bodies with cards and protect soldiers’ graves. The Christian Commission “had come to recognize that its pastoral duties, its concerns for ‘spiritual consolation,’ and its commitment to Christian souls also involved a commitment to Christian bodies and to the individual identity of the immortal self.” (p.110)
ReplyDelete“The Christian Commission approached the work of naming the dead rather differently … motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence, [while] the Sanitarians regarded such an approach as unduly sentimental, lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary to a modern age and a modern war.” (p.110) The Sanitarians focused more on prevention of disease and effective management of wounds than relief efforts. However, as time progressed, “order and humanitarianism converged.” (p.111) A Special Relief Service was formed; it distributed extra clothing, procured special foods for the sick, helped discharge soldiers, distributed reading material, and answered inquiries about missing soldiers.
I think both Commissions were effective in their own ways, but the Sanitarians were, in the end, more effective . The Christians were more kind and helpful to soldiers and their families, while the Sanitarians were more effective in keeping soldiers alive longer, and ultimately, became more passionate as time progressed. This combination of passion and effectiveness I believe is more efficient than the Christian Commission.
In response to Amber:
ReplyDeleteYou said that "the Sanitary Commission was more effective during the Civil War because it told families the wounds of the men and where they died and how they fought rather than learning that they were good Christians". While I agree that the details provided by the Sanitary Commission were more important than those provided by the Christian Commission, I don't think it would have been seen that way by families of deceased soldiers. I think during the Civil War, people who had suffered a loss looked to religion for support much more than facts and statistics. "Loss demanded an explanation that satisfied hearts as well as minds. Religion remained the most readily available explanatory resource . . ." (174) To families of the deceased, knowing that their loved one was a good Christian and died the Good Death was far more important than knowing all the details of when and where.
The Christian and Sanitary commissions both helped significantly during the Civil War. The Christian Commission supplied paper and envelopes to the Army of the Potomac and help transport letters written by the soldiers to post offices in the area. “After Sherman’s army reached Savannah…soldiers produced three hundred letters a day.”(107) Even when the soldiers were sick or otherwise unable to write, volunteers from the commission wrote in their behalf. There were about five thousand delegates and more than 92,000 letters written by the end of the war. The commission also had the Individual Relief Department which responded to letters written to them about soldiers. Near the end, the Christian Commission tried to, “ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead.”(110) Meanwhile, the Sanitary Commission influence over the people was much greater than the Christian Commission. With their more resources/money, the Sanitary Commission helped with relief efforts and even distributed extra clothing and food for the sick or wounded soldiers. I believe both commissions significantly helped the Union families with some reassurance of their soldier’s fate whether it may be good or bad. Being more personal with the families was strength of the Christian Commission which I believe was more effective. Although, the effectiveness of the Sanitary Commission handing out clothes and food is charitable, if I had a loved one lost at war, I would prefer the Christian Commission to find him because simply, they seemed more interested.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Abbey:
ReplyDeleteI like how in your post you showed both aspects of the two commissions and how they unknowingly worked together. You said, "The Christian Commission provided the most help to some people, whereas the Sanitary Commission provided some help to the most people." I agree with this. Both commissions were successful to all types of families and I believe overall both affected the Union positively.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe basic goal of each commission was to research and write letters regarding the status of soldiers in response to requests made by civilians at home. They both “came to regard [themselves] as ‘a great medium of intercommunication and the Army’,” (pg 117).
ReplyDeleteThe Sanitary Commission “sought to bring dispassionate principles of science and efficiency to bear on the national crisis…with the establishment of rules of military organization that would maximize prevention of disease and effective management of wounds [most important].” (pg 111) They were “led by well-connected members of a wealthy elite [and] attained a size and financial strength that far exceeded that of the Christian Commission.” (pg 111)
The Christian Commission “provided columns for names, units, dates of death, and ‘particulars’, and ‘remarks’ that usually included an assessment of the deceased’s religious state as well as details about the disposition of his body,” (pg 109) and, where possible provide “reassurance that many of the soldiers had indeed died Good Deaths,” (pg 109). The representatives became “increasingly involved in not just providing information to families but in working to ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead,” (pg 110). They were scolded by Sanitarians by their “unduly sentimental, lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary to modern age and a modern war. (pg 110)
If the purpose of Commissions was to inform the families of soldiers about their son, father, et cetera, then the Sanitarians were most effective. Numbers don’t lie. If the purpose of Commissions was to inform the families of soldiers about their son, father, et cetera, FULLY satisfying every family, then the Christian Commission was supreme. Sanitarians just don’t go the extra mile.
Response to Ben
ReplyDeleteYou are right about the Christian Commission being more personal but I think the Sanitary Commission did more. Although they thought getting personal was a waste of time, they did end up getting close to the soldiers anyway. They worked hard and they were friendly. Even though they were paid to work, I think they ended up working more than they were paid for. With their money and social status, they could do a lot more for the soldiers and families.
It is easy to say that the main similarity betwwen the hristian and sanitary commisions is that they both helped out the union soilders in some way. the christian commisions supplied 24,000 quires of paper in the spring of 1864. The papers were used to write letters and the commission delegates following Sherman's army "rented rooms and installed desks, where soldiers produced three hundred leters a day."(107)if the soldiers were sick or dieing the deligates wrote the letters or the soldiers. The commisions wrote over 92000 letters for soldiers by the end of the war.
ReplyDeleteThe sanitary commisions took a different way to help soldiers and that was to "maximize prevention of disease and effective management of wounds".(111)Sanitary agents would run out on to the battlefeild after the battle was over to help the soldiers and take care of their wounds.
I have to agree with ben by saying that the sanitary commisions were more effective because they did keep the soldiers alive.
The Sanitary Commission and the Christian Commission had one distinct similarity. They both helped distinguish and name the deceased Union soldiers. The two commissions tackled a very hard task in identifying the dead and wounded.
ReplyDeleteThe Christian Commission was a volunteer group and worked to inform the families of the dead and wounded. They also worked "to ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead." "The Christian Commission was motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence."
Unlike the Christian Commission, the Sanitary Commission worked for money. The Sanitary Commission was more professional than the Christian Commission. Unlike the Christian Commission, "The United States Sanitary Commission sought to bring dispassionate principles of science and efficiency to bear on the national crisis relief efforts." They also ensured the maximum "prevention of disease and effective management of wounds."
The two different commissions definitely had distinct differences in motivation.
Response to Alfredo,
ReplyDeleteI also agree that the Sanitary Commission was more effective. They were better prepared for the job than the Christian Commision. The Sanitary Commission also helped soldiers stay alive and prevent disease outbreaks.
Though the differences between the Sanitary Commission and the Christian Commission were plentiful they had the same vision to provide families with the state of their soldier. One way the two commissions differed was the view they had on the appropriate way to tell the family. The Christian Commission, “included an assessment of the deceased’s religious state” (109), and the Sanitarians believed “ that his (the soldier’s) friends at home should know … his exact condition”. The Christian Commission and Sanitary Commission differed in their beliefs on how personal the letter home should be.
ReplyDeleteWhile both commissions were good at getting letters to and from soldiers I believe that the Christian Commission was more effective. I feel this way because The Christian commission had more ways of keeping track of deceased and wounded soldiers. Such as giving printed notebooks to the army so they would be able to easier keep track of the state of soldiers, then transferred into the Christian Commission Death Register. This was an extremely successful way of distributing information about soldiers. The Sanitary Commission, while in the same mindset, was not as efficient. The Sanitarians did not have a personal touch with the soldiers and families, as the Christian Commission did. The Sanitary Commission rather was running a business off the need for a median between the army and home and did not have the soldier’s best interests in mind, but the money they were making. I believe the Christian Commission’s personal touch made the soldiers more at ease as well as their families. The Christian Commission also being volunteers were more likely to get things done faster rather than drag things out in order to make more money. In my point of view the Christian commission was better than the Sanitary Commission.
Though the Christian Commission and the Sanitarians were both committed to finding out the status of soldiers, they had different reasons for doing so. The Christian Commission was comprised of purly volunteers, that would go to the hospitals to help soldiers write home. The Sanitarians, on the other hand, “…represented important manifestations of the effort to use the war as a kind of natural science experiment”. [111] I believe that the Christian Commission was the most effective during the civil war because rather than just identifying wounded soldiers and bodies, they went into the hospitals and helped to write letters and help soldiers communicate with home. “the commission estimated that they had written more than 92,000 letters for soldiers by the end of the war.” [107] This provided families with a soldier’s words and not just a well meant condolence letter from a comrade.
ReplyDeleteResponse to Alfredo
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree with your statement that the Sanitarians were more effective during the war. Diseases could be studied out side of the battle field, and I have to say that the Christians were more effective during the war because the handled the more pressing matter at the moment which was identifying bodies, and giving soldiers the best death that they could have. “The commission estimated that they had written at least 92,000 letters for soldiers by the end of the war”. [107] At this period in time, religion was everything. Receiving a good death for a soldier who knew that he was going to die from his wounds may have been all that he could hope for. The Christians provided that.
"While the Christian Commission was motivated by humanitarian sympathy an religious benevolence, the Sanitarians regarded such an approach as an unduly sentimental, lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary to a modern age and modern war." The difference between the christian Commission and the Sanitarians Commission is that the Sanitarians commission was less kind about the fallen frankly they were there to make sure that the bodies got out. They did not believe that the religious way was very important they just wanted to get the bodies out of the fields. The Christian Commission wanted to be kind and find all the bodies and get them back home they went out on to the fields for hours gathering bodies. They cared about the men that had died very strongly. They made lists of the dead and wrote letters home to the families of the soldiers they made sure that the families knew about the condition of loved ones. Both of the Commission's wanted get the bodies away from the fields and home they were doing their best even though one believed in finding ways to get information home more than the other, both of the commission's main goals were to get the bodies buried. I think the Christian Commission was most effective because even though they took their time finding the men they got the bodies back to their home and families.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Alfredo, "Diseases could be studied out side of the battle field, and I have to say that the Christians were more effective during the war because the handled the more pressing matter at the moment which was identifying bodies, and giving soldiers the best death that they could have". This statement you made about the diseases being studied out side the battle field is true. I didn't understand why they made a science experiment out of a very serious war. Its unbelievable how so many people have no respect for the dead. I agree with you the Sanitarians Commission was disrespectful and it could have been avoided.
ReplyDeleteBoth the Christian and Sanitary Commissions worked to "provide information to families" about soldiers. They started as "Union-wide charitable efforts...[and] came to regard communication with families as central to their efforts."
ReplyDeleteThe Christian Commission, "in just three months during the spring of 1864" provided "24,000 quires of paper and envelopes to the Army of the Potomac." They also delivered hundreds of letters to post offices from nearby military hospitals and camps. Not only did they deliver paper to troops and letters to post offices, they also wrote letters to the families of soldiers who were dying or dead, to help "to carry 'last words.'" By the end of the war, the commission had estimated that more than 92,000 letters had been sent by them for soldiers. In 1864, the commission created the Individual Relief Department the dealt with "inquiries about the fate of individual soldiers." The Commission worked hard to collect and record information of the soldiers whom they assisted, so the Relief Department could receive as much information as possible to relay to the public. The Commission provided agents with notebooks in which to record this information. Toward the end of the war, the Commission worked to preserve the identities of the dead. many agents worked to record the location, as well as protect, the graves of soldiers.
The Sanitary Commission worked "through a system of paid agents", unlike the Christian Commission which worked through volunteers. This commission worked to establish military organization that would minimize and prevent disease and effectively manage wounds. The Commission's Bureau of Vital Statistics used the war as a kind of science experiment. "'The vast proportions of our national Armies' wrote Charles Stille in his official report of commission activities during the war'...afforded facilities not likely to occur again...and it would have been most unfortunate had the opportunities thus afforded for the study of large numbers of men in their hygienic and physiological relations, been suffered to pass unimproved.'"(111).
The Sanitary Commission greatly exceeded the Christian Commission in both size and financial strength, but in the way of humanitarian efforts, both were almost equally matched. The Sanitary Commission worked to distribute clothing and reading material to soldiers, as well as assist soldiers in finding their way home and answer questions regarding missing soldiers. The commission worked to keep their work orderly, but with battles such as Gettysburg and Antietam, records became confused and spotty, as soldiers became more concerned with caring for the dead and wounded than reporting on their own welfare.
While both commissions were no doubt effective, I believe that the Sanitary Commission was more effective. I don't approve of their idea of treating the war like a science experiment, I do believe that they, as a more widespread and better financed group, were able to help more people than the Christian Commission. They had an organized way of making sure that the public was notified, and the soldiers did not go unnoticed. While the Christian Commission may have been better at notifying individual families, the Sanitarians worked on a broader scale that allowed them to reach more people more quickly.
Response to Ben Grote:
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree with you that the Christian Commission was effective, I have to disagree that it was the most effective. While they did a good job of informing the families of soldiers what had happened to them, I do not think that they were as effective as the Sanitary Commission, based on the fact that they were not as widespread. No doubt the families were relieved the hear that their loved one died Good Deaths, but the Sanitarians had the right idea - tell them when, where, and how they died, and where they are buried; but don't tell them that they will probably go to Heaven because they were resigned to death. Yes, the Good Death was an important part of the culture at the time, but if it were me in that situation, I'd just want to know where my father, brother, husband, etc. was buried and that he hadn't died a painful death.
Both the Christian and the Sanitary Commissions were united in a common purpose, and they "came to regard communication with families as cental to their efforts." In other words, both took on the enormous responsibility of naming the dead and informing the families of soldiers' statuses. The Christian Commission, however carried this out on a much more personal level and even sent personal letters to some families. The Sanitary Commission focused more on reaching a high number of families than the Christian Commission who focused on reaching a smaller number on a more personal level. I think that the Sanitary Commission was far more effective because they helped many more families than the Christian and gave them similar information. The Christian Commission provided the families with the state of the soldier's soul, but with more than 600,000 soldiers dead there was not enough time to provide each family with this information. And this number is not including the other soldiers who were alive or wounded that also had to be accounted for. Even the Sanitary Commission struggled with the high number of reports to be given to the families, but they did a more effective job of acheiving their purpose which was communicating the status of soldiers with their families.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Cameron:
ReplyDeleteYou make a very good point when you say that "If the purpose of Commissions was to inform the families of soldiers about their son, father, et cetera, then the Sanitarians were most effective. Numbers don’t lie. If the purpose of Commissions was to inform the families of soldiers about their son, father, et cetera, FULLY satisfying every family, then the Christian Commission was supreme." The views people have regarding the effectiveness of the commission are based off of their view of its purpose. Effective is defined as "producing the desired or intended result." Therefore, the effectiveness of the commissions was relative to what the desired or intended result was. It is for theis reason that I think the Sanitary Commission was more effective because its purpose was to communicate the status of the soldiers to each family, not to befriend and look after the families.
"The two most significant Union-wide charitable efforts to grow out of the war" (pg. 107) were the Christian Commission and the Sanitary Commission. The two commissions are comparable when identified from their main goals and functions. These organizations' main purpose was to find out and document soldier records such as name, unit, condition, religious state, and if applicable, date of death and details about the deposition of the body. After succeeding this task, they then informed the soldiers' families about the death. Also, "like the Christian Commission, the Sanitary Commission came to regard itself as a "great medium of intercommunication between the people and the Army," and it was soon overwhelmed with requests for information" (pg. 111). Although the purpose of the Commissions is similar, each one is greatly diverse when broken down.
ReplyDeleteThe Christian Commission consisted of commission delegates and general field agents. The delegates, on their behalf, composed letters ""for soldiers still lingering" or to carry 'last words'" (pg. 111). The field agents, however, found and identified the dead. Both were unpaid volunteers who were "motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence" (pg. 110). The Christian Commission not only informed the families, but also cared to preserve the identity of the dead.
The Sanitarian Commission consisted of paid agents who thought more of the present human needs and demands than caring about the deaths as much as the Christians. The Sanitarians sought to "bring dispassionate principles of science and efficiency to bear on the national crisis" (pg. 111). Because they were financially strong, the Sanitary Commission later created many bureaus in order to meet society's needs. Although they were less sincere about each and every soldier as the Christians, the Sanitarians rescued many more people by preventing death in as many ways as they could.
Both the Chrisians and the Sanitarians were effective in their own way, but I think that the Sanitary Commission was more effective overall. Instead of taking their time to personally write a letter one by one to families like the Christian Commission, they used their time to help a greater range. Therefore, more people were assisted by the Sanitary Commission.
In response to Jessi:
ReplyDeleteIn you response to Ben you stated that you believed the Sanitary Commisions were more effective because they were more widespread. I will agree that they were more widespread and gave out more information, but the information wasn't as important to the information the Chirstian Commisions were giving out. Although they were less widespread they gave the news everyone wanted to hear. Did they die a good death? The mention of good death happened so many times during the first four chapters they author is saying this was very important during this time. You said,"Yes, the Good Death was an important part of the culture at the time, but if it were me in that situation, I'd just want to know where my father, brother, husband, etc. was buried and that he hadn't died a painful death." Well it might not be important to you now(it isn't for me either) but we live in 2009 not during the Civil War. Times have changed.
"In the North both the Christian Commission and the Sanitary Commission, the two most significant Union-wide charitable efforts to grow out of the war, came to regard communication with families as central to their efforts." The Christian and Sanitary Commissions’' jobs were to let families of Union soldiers know what their soldier's status is. Both of the commissions accomplished this job, but did it very differently. The Christian Commission communicated to the families in multiple ways. They “proclaimed its commitment in words printed at the top of each page of the stationary it distributed to soldiers.” Then the commission sent this sheet to the families from the soldier. The Christian Commission provided the Union with envelopes and paper to send to their families stating how they are doing. If the soldiers were very ill or passed away the unpaid volunteers wrote on their behalf composing letters stating how they died. This comforted many families because this explained to them if their son, brother, or husband had died a good death. “The Sanitary Commission approached the work of naming the dead rather differently, in keeping with the more general contrasts that distinguished the two agencies.” Unlike the Christian Commission the Sanitarians worked through a system of “paid agents”(pg 110) Many believed the Sanitarians were more productive because they had a more widespread commission and therefore lead to more information to the public. Both of these commissions were very important and were beneficial to the families of the Union. Because of this I had a hard time picking between the two. The Sanitary Commission seemed to make the Christian Commission’s weakness their strength. (Christians weren’t very widespread Sanitarians were). In contrast the Christian Commission’s strength was the Sanitarians weakness. (Christians were more personal then the Sanitarians.) After re-reading the text multiple times I decided the Christians were more beneficial because during that time dying a good death was very important to all the families.
ReplyDelete"The Christian Commission proclaimed it's commitment in words printed at the top of each page of the of the stationary it distributed to soldiers at the front: "The U.S. Christian Commission send this sheet as a messenger between the soldier and his home. Let it hasten to those who wait for tidings."(pg.107) The Christian Commission wrote in the behalf of soldier still lingering to carry last words to his family. "It was one of the fundamental responsibilities of it's five thousand delagates, as the commission described it, "to spare no pains to give immediate and accurate information of the wounded and dead to those who waited"(pg.107) The Christian Commission organized the Individual Relif Department, this was designed for families to write to inquiring about the fate of individual soldiers. Many of these were answered by this program giving families peace of mind to know at least if thier loved one was dead or alive. Another thing that the Christian Commission did to give families at home as much information as possible was to start a "Christian Commission Death Register" which listed names, units, dates of deaths, and the deceased religous state, as well as the dispostion of his body. As far as the Sanitary Commission goes they, "approached the work of naming the dead rather differently, in keeping with more general contrasts that distinguished the two agencies. While the Christian Commission was motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religous benevolence, the Sanitarians regrded such an approach as unduly sentimental, lacking hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary to a modern age and a modern war."(pg. 110) Ths United States Sanitary Commission did not bring sympathy into the system. They believed in using "dispassionate principles of science and efficiancy to bear the national crisis" The Sanitary Commission was led by the wealthy elite and therefore attained a size and financial strengh that far exceeded the Christian Commission. One similarity that the two commissions have in common is that they came to regard themselves as a "great medium of intercommunication between the people and the Army". I beleive that the Sanitary Commisssion was more effective during the Civil War. If the Christian Commission had the resources that the Sanitary Commission had, I think they would have been much more effective with their methods. The Sanitary Commission was able to reach out to more people and give more information because of their wealth, that is why they were more effective. However, I think that the ways of the Sanitary Commission didn't make quite as much sense as the Christian Commission because death is a very religous thing, and therefore the commission should've approached this in more of a religous way.
ReplyDeleteIn response to lee phan:
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post. I also think that the Sanitary Commission was more effective than the Christian Commission during the CIvil War. More people were assisted because they didn't make each death so personal. Although I like the Christian Commissions approach more, Because death is a very personal thing, and writing a personal letter was probably very comforting to the families, I realize that since they did this they were unable to reach out and assist as many people as the Sanitary Commission did.
Both of the charitable organizations, being the Sanitary Commission and the Christian Commission, in my opinion, did a fantastic job, and neither can be given the title “the best organization.” The Christian Commission was the more personal one of the two. The Christian Commission took personal letters on a daily basis. These letters begged for information on certain individual’s status, whether they were ok, or dead or wounded. The Commission tried its best to answer the majority of them. [pg. 108] the Christian commission also aided in the identification of the fallen. They also prided themselves in trying to find out what exactly happened to the dead soldiers. Members of the Commission would go to the battlefield and search for bodies. They would try and identify graves and who occupied them. The Sanitary Commission on the other hand, was not as personal. This Commission also responded to families’ inquiries, and tried its best to locate the spots where the dead soldiers lay. [pg.111] The Sanitary Commission also helped to create a hospital directory to try and centralize the information gathered about dead or wounded soldiers that came through the war’s hospitals. The Sanitary Commission also tried to respond to personal inquiries, about the whereabouts of soldiers. At the end of the war, the Sanitary Commission answered roughly 70% of all of the inquiries. In my opinion, I think that both Commissions were equally effective in the time of the Civil War. They both helped families find closure from the deaths of their soldiers.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Alfredo:
ReplyDeleteAlfredo makes an excellent point about how the Sanitary Commission was more effective than the Christian Commission, because they helped care for the wounded soldiers. During the Civil War, the carnage was so incredibly bad that the medical service was seriously lacking. This is where the Sanitary Commission came in. They aided the hospitals in treating the wounded after battles. This had to help the survival rate after large battles. I think that Alfredo has a good point when he says that the Sanitary Commission was more effective because of its aide to the wounded.
The Christian and Sanitary Commissions both had the same goal in the war, but they took different approaches. They were both charitable efforts for the Union, but the Christian Commission was "motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence" (pg. 110) while the Sanitary Commission used a method of science and efficiency. The CC's volunteers comforted survivors using "spiritual consolation" and respected the dead (taking a Christian approach) while doing their job, which was making life easier for the soldiers. The Sanitary Commission thought that the CC was a very amateur and old fashioned organization. The SC had paid agents (wealthy elite people) that used rules of military organization and thought that relief efforts were not very important. The war was one big science experiment to them. The SC's overall size, wealth, and public influence was much greater than the CC's. And although the SC tried not to get involved very much with human needs like the CC, they did.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the Christian Commission was more effective because it helped other human beings more personally than the SC. I believe in one on one time with people can help them more. The CC's Christian beliefs guided them in aiding the the soldiers and families. They helped by being buried in human needs (what the SC was trying not to do).
Response to Austin-
ReplyDeleteAlthough I said that I believe the Christian Commission did a better job because they were more personal, I agree with you. The Sanitary Commission was very organized and answered a lot of inquiries. After reading your post about how both commissions did an excellent job, I would have to agree with you!
Response to Jamie:
ReplyDeleteYou’re right there’s no question that the Sanitary Commission got more done than the Christian Commission, but does that alone make them more effective? On page 107 Faust says both commissions “came to regard communication with families as central to their efforts.” So if communication with families was what determined effectiveness the Christian Commission was more effective because of the personal touch it had with families. In addition if we were to look at the effectiveness of each based on the resources each commission had, we would see that even though the Christian Commission had less money and public support, they still produced solid results that were comparable to the Sanitary Commission. You’re definitely right, the Sanitary Commission had better numbers than the Christian Commission, but better numbers don’t always mean greater effectiveness.
Both the Sanitary Commission and the Christian Commission were effective groups in gathering information on the death of soldiers. The Christian Commission however was the more personal group of these two commissions. Its focus was to comfort and support the dying soldiers as well as their families through a Christian approach. This commission also recorded the religious conditions the soldiers were in as they died whether it was “A Good Death”, “unknown” or “not a Christian”. The Christian Commission also began to fulfill other religious duties to the soldiers including the preservation of their identities. “In the course of the war the Christian Commission had come to recognize that its pastoral duties, its concerns for “spiritual consolation,” and its commitment to Christian souls also involved a commitment to Christian bodies and to the individual identity of the immortal self (110).” This group was run by volunteers who gave their time to help the dying soldiers. The Sanitary Commission was a more modern group that focused on efficiency rather than sympathy and religious beliefs. They treated the soldiers through a more scientific approach concentrating on the needs of the living more than the needs of the dead. “Led by well-connected members of a wealthy elite, the Sanitary Commission attained a size and financial strength, as well as a public influence and reach, that far exceeded that of the Christian Commission (110).” I believe both the Christian Commission and the sanitary commission were effective in aiding soldiers on their death bed. The Christian group was effective because it treated to the soldier’s spiritual needs and religious beliefs more than the Sanitary Commission. They treated each soldier and their family individually concentrating on a Good Death. The Sanitary group concentrated of healing the wounds of the living and answering questions in an effective manner. These two groups balance each other in the ways of treating each soldier religiously and with the needs of the living.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Austin Parr:
ReplyDeleteI agree with Austin Parr that both Commissions played an important role in aiding families in search of their family members. The Sanitary Commission focused on organization of information and answering the questions presented to them while the Christian Commission focused more on humanitarian sympathy and religious guidance. Each group has its effectiveness and advantage over the opposing group. The two groups each have their flaws but are balanced by the other commission.
The Christian and Sanitary commissions were both organizations in the North that helped out soldiers and their families’ during the war.
ReplyDeleteThe Christian Commission had unpaid volunteers. They wrote and delivered letters to families of soldiers. They also tried to keep track of all the dead after battles through records kept. “Representatives became increasingly involved not just in providing information to families but in working to ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead.” (Pg. 110). The Christian Commission was there on a more personal level than the Sanitary Commission.
The Sanitary Commission paid people. Instead of being personal, they wanted to use science and efficiency. “Led by well-connected members of a wealthy elite, the Sanitary Commission attained a size and financial strength, as well as a public influence and reach, that far exceeded that of the Christian Commission.” (Pg. 111). The Sanitary Commission had created the Special Relief Service. This service distributed clothing, food, and reading material. It also helped soldiers find their way home and would answer questions about missing soldiers.
I think that both commissions were equally effective. The Christian Commission fulfilled its goal to communicate to families and report deaths. They also became “increasingly involved” which just made them get stronger and stronger. They were there to comfort families and soldiers and it was good for everyone. I don’t know what would have happened without the Sanitary Commission. They helped out the soldiers so much by giving them necessities. It helped that they had a financial strength. They were also there to answer questions from family members. These two commissions worked hand in hand together. Without the other, they would have been less effective with more work.
In response to Nicole:
ReplyDeleteI disagree with you. I think that the Sanitary Commission did help a lot of other human beings. They gave soldiers necessities such as food, clothing, and reading materials to get their mind off of war for a little bit. They also did answer questions from families about missing soldiers and helped soldiers get back home. I do agree that the Christian Commission’s outlook on being more personal helped them, but without the other, neither would be very effective.
The Christian and Sanitary Commissions were similar in many of their efforts such as family communication. Both Commissions believed family connections "as central to their efforts." (pg. 107). This quote explains how important relationships were to everyone involved in the war, especially families of soldiers. The Christian Commission cared more about a soldiers' well-being. Volunteers from the Christian Commission felt that they should create a certain relationship with the soldiers while the Sanitary Commission didn't care about personal relations as much as they did to get things done. "Unpaid volunteers upon whom the work of the organization rested-wrote in their [soldiers] behalf, composing letter 'to carry last words'." (pg. 107). This quote shows how the Christian Commission cared more about sympathy and took a more religious approach to caring for the dead and their families. "While the Christian Commission was motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence, the Sanitarians regarded such an approach as unduly sentimental, lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary to a mordern world and a modern war." (pg. 110) this quote shows the major difference between the two Commissions. I believe that both commissions were equally effective because one would not be able to survive without the other. If the Christian Commission weren't there, the Sanitarians would not have been able to ease the pain from families and there would have been unsatisfied familes. However, of the Sanitarian Commission didn't exist, the Christians would have gotten nothing done with identifying the dead.
ReplyDeleteResponse to Samantha Cook:
ReplyDeleteYou quote that “the [Sanitary] Commission should have approached death in a more religious way,” because “death is a religious thing.” If the Sanitary Commission did focus more on religious state, it would make them more like the Christian Commission, and they wouldn’t be able to satisfy nearly as many people, therefore defeating the purpose of their mission in the first place. I disagree with you when you say that money was what made the Sanitary Commission so much more effective. I think that the Christian Commission couldn’t have informed so many as the Sanitary Commission even if both groups had the same amount of money. However, I agree that the Christian Commission is more efficient at what they do, however I believe that what they did was less efficient overall.
Both the Sanitary and Christian Commissions did amazing things during the civil war, “the two most significant Union-wide charitable efforts to grow out of the war.” (107) their main goal was communications to the soldier’s families. The Christian commission gave the soldiers paper to write to their loved ones, “During the spring of 1864 the commission had reported that it had supplied 24,000quires of paper and envelopes to the Army of the Potomac.” (107). The Christian commission worked off unpaid volunteers. If a soldier had died they would try to pass the message on to the family. The Christian commission estimated 92,000 had been written for soldiers by the end of the war. They weren’t always able to send the family accurate information. So to try to minimize this problem they sent notebooks into the battlefields to try to identify the soldiers and get their last words and where they had passed. The Sanitary commission did things differently. The Christian commission did what they did for sympathy and religion. The sanitary commission did things for “hard headed realism” (110) they had a system of paid agents. They inspected camps and soldiers which in a way became more like an experiment. They got more than just their final words and location of their death. But they worked with much more funds than the Christian commission did. During the war I’m sure both of these efforts were greatly appreciated. But because the sanitary commission was funded they got more work done. For that reason I believe they were more effective.
ReplyDeleteThe Christian and Sanitary Commissions worked to provide information to Union families about soldiers throughout the war.
ReplyDeleteBoth of the Commissions cared for the families, however, the Christian commission cared more about creating a personal relationship with the soldiers and cared more about the soldiers' well being. Also, they had volunteers that weren't paid and they, "became increasingly involved... in working to ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead.” (Pg. 110).
The Sanitary Commissions on the other hand used productivity and knowledge, rather than communicating on a personal level. They had paid professionals, elite that were able to attain public popularity during the course of the war. They also created the Special Relief Service that distributed things such as clothes to the soldiers and also helped them communicate with home. They treated things more like an experiment and recorded every detail.
To me, I feel that both Commissions made amazing efforts to help the soldiers in the war, and the public greatly appreciated their work. However, even though the Christian Commission was more sympathetic, the Sanitary Commission was able to find more information and therefore help the public even more.
In response to Nicole:
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Jenna that the Sanitary Commissions was very helpful to the soldiers in the war. The SC was able to create the Special Relief Service which, like Jenna explained, distributed food, clothes, and reading material. Although they did not reach a personal level with the soldiers, like the CC did, they were able to help the soldiers keep their minds off the terrors of war. Yes, I agree that the CC's sympathy helped them a lot, however the SC was able to aid more soldiers and therefore be more successful in the war. You both made really good points in your posts.
In response to Nicole
ReplyDeleteYou made some extremely good points in that the Sanitary Commissions did provide alot of help to soldiers and that the Christian Commission did provide alot of sympathy however they did not provide as much info as the SC did as they had better info available for the deceased families. Awesome points you made in your post.
The Christian and Sanitary commissions both helped immensely in the war. The Sanitary commission supplied the soldiers with new clothes and food. With their more resources/money, the Sanitary Commission helped with relief efforts, and even distributed extra clothing and food for the sick or wounded soldiers. Also their influence over the people was much greater than the Christian Commission. The Christian commission had supplied paper and envelopes to the Army of the Potomac. They even helped transport letters written by the soldiers to post offices in the area. The soldiers were then able to stay in better touch with their kin. Then even when the soldiers were sick or otherwise unable to write, volunteers from the commission wrote in their behalf. There were more than 92,000 letters written by the end of the war. Near the end of the war, the Christian Commission tried to, “ensure the preservation of the identities of the dead.”(110). I believe that both commissions contributed greatly to the war. Although I believe that the Christian commission was more effective during the war. Helping the soldiers write to their kin was one of the best things anyone could do. Most of the soldiers just wanted to reassure their family that they were OK, or be able to tell them if they were hurt. The Christian commission just seemed more caring to the soldiers personal needs, than the Sanitary commission.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Rachel:
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of your post. I like how you included the quote “After Sherman’s army reached Savannah…soldiers produced three hundred letters a day.”(107) it really shows how grateful the soldiers were to be given that opportunity, to write to their kin. It makes your point much stronger.
The main purpose for the commissions were to communicate between soldiers and families. The Christian commission gave a closer, more emotional connection with the soldiers. They gave out thousands of stationary papers to soldiers for their last words. If a soldier died and had a letter, it would be sent to the family. The Christian commission also had a relief department that tried to answer letters of families. They also kept a book of dead soldiers with their final conditions. These volunteers were motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religion.
ReplyDeleteThe Sanitary commission made less of a connection with soldiers, but took a more efficient approach. They had financial strength so they were able to expand faster. They gave soldiers clothes, food, and transportation. They made hospital directories, so families could sees if their loved ones were in hospitals.
With both of the commissions working on trying to identify soldiers, they helped many families. They completed each others work.
In response to Sophia:
ReplyDeleteI disagree with you. I believe that the Christian commission helped the families more than the Sanitary commission. The christian commission helped families find their dead loved ones. They also told the family about the soldiers death. That goes back to the,ars moriendi. I think that was important to the families.
The Christian and Sanitary Commissions’ objectives were, “communication with families (107).” The Christian Commission was all unpaid volunteers while the Sanitary commission was all paid agents. The Christian commission got emotionally involved and did everything they could to make the soldiers comfortable at the time. The Sanitary commission enforced military rules to help prevent diseases and they treated their soldiers like natural science experiments. The Christian Commission supplied paper, pens, and writing spaces to the soldiers while the Sanitary Commission created detailed lists of the soldiers’ condition. Those were the main differences between the Christian and Sanitary Commissions. They both worked for the same cause, though. They both wanted to let families know the condition of their loved ones, whether it was from a scientifical standpoint or a sympathetic standpoint. They both recorded the dead, when and how they died, and they both were working to make families aware of the condition of their soldiers. I’m kind of torn between the two commissions; I sort of lean towards the Christian Commission because they were helping soldiers because they wanted to (it was a volunteered organization). But then again, I lean towards the Sanitary Commission because they had the science to prevent disease and made new medicines to help clean their wounds more efficiently. It was a close tie between the two but I would go with the Sanitary Commission because they used science to help stop disease and to maybe even cure some sick or wounded soldiers.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the Christian Commission was more effective at the beginning the Civil War. "While the Christian Commission was motivated by humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence, the Sanitarians regarded such an approach as an unduly sentimental, lacking the hard-headed realism and the order and discipline necessary to a modern age and a modern war." (pg 110) Soon the Sanitarians became more like the Christian Commission and started realizing more of the hurt of war and started helping out a lot more. I think they both made a great impact and helped a lot of people and soldiers in the end.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Rachel:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the Christian Commission was more efficient. I think they helped the nation to heal while also letting families know about their lost soldiers, therefore surpassing the Sanitary Commission’s lack of personal touch. I feel the same way, “if I had a loved one lost at war, I would prefer the Christian Commission to find him”. I think if you were to ask the people back then which commission the preferred they would say the CC because they made the people feel that they had the interests of the soldiers in mind.
In response to Nicole:
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement that “the Christian Commission was more effective because it helped other human beings more personally than the SC. I believe in one on one time with people can help them more,” but only in a mental sense. Care and affection is not going to help a soldier survive a war, and will really only help dying soldiers’ mental states. The Sanitary Commission provided clothes and medical aid to soldiers as well as things to take their mind off the war. In my opinion, these necessities are more important than being extremely friendly and caring. The Sanitary Commission also notified families on the status of soldiers. Due to its size, wealth, and extent, I believe that overall the Sanitary Commission was more beneficial to soldiers and their families than the Christian Commission was.
In response to Kristina:
ReplyDeleteI disagree with you that the Sanitarian Commission became more like the Christians by creating relationships with the soldiers. The Sanitarians did want communications with the families to be their biggest effort but they didn't want to have special relationships with the soldiers who were probably going to die soon. That would throw off what the Commission was there for. The Sanitarians took care of most of the identification processes while the Christians were there to help ease the pain.
In response to Sophia S
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the Sanitary Commission was more effective. They did more than just get letters from the soldier to the family. The Sanitary Commission used more of realism than just sympathy. The Christian Commission was more passionate about keeping, “a personal relationship with the soldiers” like you said. But because of how they did things they couldn’t have been as productive as the Sanitary Commission. However I also agree with you that they both did their best to help communication during the Civil War.
Due to the large increase in fatalities during the Civil War, both the Christian and Sanitary commissions held an important role in recording and compiling information on the dead. The Christian Commission, however, focused on the humane aspect of the fallen soldiers and would contact the family of the deceased and inform them of their loss. The Christian Commission even started receiving letters about the condition of certain soldiers. The Sanitary Commission regarded the Christian Commission as, “lacking the hard-headed realism” (pg.110). The Sanitary Commission’s focus was on the details and science of how the soldiers died. While both commissions were effective and important, I believe the Christian Commission was more effective because the regarded the fallen soldiers as people instead of numbers and brought some measure of peace to a family who lost someone in the war. They acted in a caring and responsible way by both recording the deaths and dealing with the effect on the civilians.
ReplyDeleteThe Sanitary Commission and the Christian Commission both were organizations whose goal was to inform families about the conditions of their loved ones. They both had different style the Christian was more personal and caring where as the Sanitary was more to the point and productive. They both did the job but i believe Sanitary did a better job. The Catholic was more personal but was "lacking the hard-headed realism". The Sanitary was down to the point telling the family the condition of there loved one and the rest of the basic information the family. The Christian was more sappy and caring and cared about last word and that stuff witch is nice but it is war not the precious final moments of your life in a bed next to your family. Your lying in a field surrounded by dead or dying comrades or enemies. The Christian Commission's view was nice but not logical in a war.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Jordyn,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you When you said that Sanitary got more work done. They didn't go looking for some compelling story to send to the parents they went with the work mentality to get stuff done. Therefore they were more productive.
There were quite a few similarities and differences between the Christian Commission and the Sanitary Commision during the Civil War. The Christian Commission worked more to inform families of the news of the war and to identify bodies. Whereas the Sanitary Commission worked more to make rules that would prevent diseases and wounds. I believe that both of these organizations were effective during the war but even as stated on page 111, the Sanitary Commission was more effective during the war. I do believe that the Sanitary Commission was more effective although I also thought that the Christian Commission was very effective as well because it had a gentle way of reaching the families of lost soldiers.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Ryan:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the Sanitary Commission was more effective because it was. However I do not agree with you that just because it is the war there should not be care for the families of lost loved ones and consideration about the details of the death of loved soldiers. I can definitely see where you are coming from, I just do not fully agree. I think that both organizations were logical even if the Sanitary Commmission was more effective.
Jamie,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the Sanitary Commission did more work. It is kind of like they were more dedicated and devoted. They helped soldiers stay alive, and they tried to prevent disease outbreaks from occurring. I do not think money was a problem, because it was like they were doing the kindness out of their hearts. "..the Sanitary Commission came to regard itself as a "great medium of intercommunication between the people and the Army" (pg. 111)
The Christian Commission helped soldiers write letters home. When soldiers were sick or dying, they would write for them. Commission delegates took on the responsibility to identify the dead and notify the family. The commission organized the Individual Relief Department that answered specific questions of people back home. They distributed notebooks so the delegates could write down who they assisted and the information could be passed along easily. The Christian Commission came very involved in identifying the dead. This commission worked hard and they really cared about each soldier and they tried not only to help the soldiers but the families as well.
ReplyDeleteIn the Sanitary Commission the agents were paid unlike in the Christian system. The Sanitary Commission wanted to use science and efficiency instead of being personal and caring. The Sanitary Commission had financial strength and public influence unlike the Christian Commission. This system developed the Special Relief Service where they distributed clothing and food and other kinds of necessities to the soldiers. This commission did a far worse job of answering requests from people. They only successfully answered about seventy percent of the requests.
I think the Christian Commission was more effective because they cared more about the soldiers. They didn’t provide the soldiers with necessary commodities like the Sanitary Commission which is a negative. I picked them because they were unpaid and they did a far better job responding to people’s inquiries. I feel that as a team the two commissions worked together very well though. It is important to have some people getting paid and some not that way you have a money flow and diversity in goals to accomplish.
Jonah- in response to David White:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. When the two organizations worked together as you put it "they completed each others work" I feel that there needs to always be more than one person or better yet groups of individuals working on the same end goal. That way you will have differnt approches and ideas flowing at the same time and they will balance each other to make a great team
The Christian Commission's job was to identify dead soldiers and notify their families. They worked from a more humanitarian point of view, without being paid, and just doing what they did out of sympathy. The Sanitarian Commission took more of a efficient approach. They tried to get clothes and food distributed as fast as possible, and they were paid for what they did.
ReplyDeleteI think the Christian Commission was more effective. They showed care and sympathy for the dead or dying soldiers, and their families, whereas the Sanitarian Commission just tried to get as much done as quickly as they could. I think that although it is important to help a large amount of people, I think the Christian Commission had a more noble cause, in trying to care and show sympathy for people.
In response to jpduerst:
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about it being a negative that the Christian Commission didnt provide the necessary commodities. But I also agree with what you said about them responding better to peoples' questions. They did a better job at explaining what happened at the time of a person's death, which I think is probably more of what the families were looking for, even if the Sanitarian commission did provide the necessary commodities.
The Sanitary and Christian Commissions had different aims and values. The Sanitary Commisson, as stated on page 111, sought to "maximize prevention of disease and effective management of wounds." This organization was made up of paid individuals. The Christian Commision, a volunteer group, was much more religiously based and driven to act as a "messenger between the soldier and his home," as stated on page 107.
ReplyDeleteBut however the two groups differed in their goals, they both acheived the same result. Inquiries were sent to both organizations about the whereabouts of soldiers and both answered such question. Both published directories and lists of the deceased.
The Sanitary commision, however, appears to have come out the victor in their success, as they became more well known and knowledably answered 9,203 questions about soldiers. (pg 112) They were the more successful organization because of this high number of inquiries answered.
In response to Samantha Cook,
ReplyDeleteI agree with Cameron Whiteside about the effectiveness of the Sanitary Commission. The Commission set about to be less religious and more "realistic", as it was put in the book. For them to make death more religious or even sentimental would have been contrary to their goal. Though not all have to agree with giving death more realism than religion, it was the goal of the Commission. And it lead to the number of inquiries they answered being not only effective, but astounding.
In response to Kaylie Haynes
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the Sanitary Commission was effective, but I think that the Sanitary Commission lost sight of the fact that they were dealing with civilian family members. They were honest, sure, but they didn’t provide the family with the condolences they would want. I think the Sanitary Commission looked at their work as a job to be completed ASAP.
The Christian and the sanitary commission were both charitable organizations that were designed to help soldiers in the field and at home. The Christian commission‘s main purpose was to send letters between soldiers and their families to get them to be able to communicate. Also the Christian commission wrote letters for injured and sick soldiers to convey the dying soldiers’ last words and wishes to their families. In the last year of the war the Christian commission organized the individual relief department which was designed to “respond to inquiries about the fate of individual soldiers”. The sanitary commission on the other hand, instead of using “humanitarian sympathy and religious benevolence” they used an approach of a more scientific and efficient nature. Also instead of their main focus being to write letters from soldiers to their families, they wanted to establish rules of military organization to maximize prevention of disease and effective management of wounds. I believe the Christian commission was more effective because I think it is more important for the families of soldiers to know what has happened to their kin rather than the soldiers be injured and dying and their families not knowing about it.
ReplyDeleteThere is one main similarity between the Christian commision and the Sanitary commision,which is that they both helped out the soldiers significantly in their own ways. The Christian commision helped by providing paper and envelopes to the soldiers so that they could write letters home if and when they wished. Alltogether, they would come up with roughly 300 letters daily,the commisions wrote over 92000 letters for soldiers throughout the war.The Sanitary commision on the other hand, sought to "maximize prevention of disease and effective management of wounds"(page 111), paid individuals made up this organization...
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree that the Sanitary commision had a more effective approach because after battles they would run onto the battlefeild to help soldiers and treat thier wounds,
ReplyDeleteIn response to Jordyn:
ReplyDeleteI don't necesarrily agree with you about the Sanitary Commissions. Just because they had more funds than the Christian Commission did, doesn't mean they did it for the right reasons. The Christian Commissions did it because they felt sympathy which means more to me than money does. And the Sanitary Commissions did it just for the realism.