Whitewashed Privies

As I was reading through the Patrick's Brigade - Provost Marshall's log book from Aquia Creek I came across this circular that details some aspects of how privies had to be maintained and painted.  Patrick's Brigade was assigned the task of Provost Marshall for the Post.

An image of the circular is at the right.

So get the white wash out and start painting those privies.

There was a similar special order describing how restaurants, sutlers and eating houses had to dispose of their trash in the river "beyond the roadway leaving from the main shore."


Here is a transcript of the privy message.

                                                                Headquarters May 21^st 63

Circulars
     The following suggestions from the Post Surgeon being essential to the sanitary condition of the Post will be carried into effect without delay.
     “All privies not constructed over the water should be provided with suitable boxes of planks, about two feet square and as long as the privy. These boxes should be placed in wooden slides and once a week emptied of their contents into the river at a distance from the Post. The boxes should at some time be thoroughly washed, sprinkled with lime and occasionally whitewashed.
     The buildings occupied as privies should be whitewashed both inside and out”

                                                               By command of the Col at Arms
                                                               Chas. E. Seusy
                                                               Lt. A.A.A.G.