They are employed as nurses and attendants, both day and night, cooks, orderlies, clerks, in transferring the sick and wounded from ambulances and wagons to tents, and from tents to river transports; in pitching and policing tents, making temporary bedsteads, trenching the ground, digging wells, preparation of and cleaning sinks, filling and emptying bed-sacks, watering the avenues, cleaning the streets and alleys, erection of arbors, cutting and hauling of wood for kitchens, carrying provisions and supplies from the depots to the kitchens, unloading quartermaster's and subsistence stores from vessels and guarding the same; burying the dead, removal of offal and dead animals from the vicinity, both on land and water, &c. I am enabled to specify these various duties because the number of men, 770, appearing to be unnecessarily large, I examined the subject closely. I found that there were about 3,200 sick and wounded, and 900 tents, covering an area of several hundred acres, the police of which alone requires a large num ber of men, particularly in the absence of guards and sentinels, of which there are none now. The condition of the establishment, and my observation while in it, induce the belief that these duties are well performed, and that there are no idlers there. Indeed, a number of enlisted men having asked to be sent to their regiments for being, as they felt, overworked, and being refused, left without permission. Stragglers and shirks are immediately turned over to the provost-marshal. The concurrent opinion of all medical officers with whom I have conferred is against the employment of, convalescents for hospital duty; while it is imperfectly performed, it retards their own complete recovery. My own observation shows this opinion to be correct. Few of the duties detailed above can be performed except by well and able-bodied men. It requires strength and activity to raise and carry wounded patients on stretchers from wagons to tents, and especially over the rugged and hilly road to the river transports; to pitch tents, to dig sinks, wells, and graves; to cut and haul wood, or even to raise a sick man to his bath, or to change his clothing in bed, particularly during the oppressive weather. Besides, some men would be found to have no fitness for such duties. This and experience should not be lost sight of in the employment of nurses and attendants. The following table exhibits the number of sick and wounded in the six hospitals, and the name of the chief medical officer in charge of each, July 10, 1864: Remarks. Since preparation of above the following numbers have arrived: Sixth Corps hospital, 295; Ninth Corps hospital, 300; hospital for U. S. Colored Troops, 59; total, 654. As the Surgeon-General has directed that no more sick are to be sent to Washington this number may be expected to be on the increase daily. The hospitals and appointments are in admirable condition. The patients are clean and neatly clad, the bedding is comfortable, the tents are well aired, and the dispensaries are well supplied with everything. Order and comfort prevail throughout. The condition of the cavalry hospital in charge of Doctor Mitchell could hardly be improved. Guards.-For want of a sufficient force, at present there are no guards in or about any of the hospitals. One hundred men, with a complement of officers, could be well employed in guarding public property, preserving order, and enforcing police regulations, thus allowing the labor of the men already there to be applied more immediately to the sick and wounded, which will be necessary when their numbers shall be increased. Respectfully submitted. ED. SCHRIVER, GENERAL ORDERS, No. 28. ད HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, July 11, 1864. Until further orders, sutlers whose commands are with this army or which may join it from time to time, will be permitted to supply their respective commands with such articles as are included in the Wilson bill, and the supplement thereto, in such manner as may be prescribed by the provost-marshal-general of this army. Officers will be permitted to obtain such articles as they may desire, and are not included in the Wilson bill, in the manner provided for by paragraph 5 of a circular issued by the provost-marshal-general of this army November 7, 1862. Attention is called to paragraph 3 of General Orders, No. 105, of December 11, 1863, from these headquarters, respecting the delivery of wines and liquors ordered by officers, and to paragraphs 7 and 9 of Special Orders, No. 227, of August 24, 1863, from these headquarters, regulating the quantity of stores that may be ordered by officers. Sutlers and traders will at all times hold themselves in readiness to leave the army upon short notice. The orders above cited are published as an appendix to this order. By command of Major-General Meade: S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General. CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, OFFICE OF PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL, Camp Near Rectortown, Va., November 7, 1862. The following "regulations to govern trade" having been approved by the major-general commanding this army are published for the infor mation and guidance of all concerned. ** 5. No sutler or trader will be allowed to keep or sell within the lines of this army, any wines, liquors, or intoxicating drinks of any kind whatever; nor will these articles be passed within the lines, excepting when ordered by an officer for his own use, with the approval of his brigade or division commander, and having his own name marked on the package, the sutler or trader in such cases acting merely as an agent in procuring these stores for the officer named. * 7. The provost-marshals of corps and divisions are charged with carrying these regulations into effect, and will promptly report to this office every arrest and seizure made under these orders. By order of Brigadier-General Patrick: J. P. KIMBALL, Assistant Adjutant-General. GENERAL ORDERS, No. 105. * HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, 3. All packages containing liquors and wines ordered by an officer shall be turned over to the officer ordering the same within twenty-four hours after reaching the point of delivery, and be kept by such officer in his own private quarters or tent. A longer detention of the liquor by the sutler shall be regarded as evidence of his keeping the same for sale, and subject him to the penalties of the law and existing orders attached to such offense. 7. The attention of the commanding general has been called to the abuses likely to arise in the employment, as authorized, of agents for supplying the wants of officers. Unless this privilege is properly enjoyed and officers are careful not to give their names except in cases where the article is in reality for their immediate personal use, and unless officers exercise some discretion in the amount and number ofsupplies sent for, the commanding general will be obliged to withdraw the privilege altogether and compel officers to look to sutlers alone. 9. The following decision, given at these headquarters on 2d of June last, is now published for the guidance of all concerned: The agents provided for in paragraph 3 of General Orders, No. 78, of August 20, 1863, must be one of the regular appointed sutlers or some person properly connected with his establishment. As there are from fifteen to twenty sutlers in each division, the commanding general directs that the number shall not be increased. Generals of divisions, brigades, and corps can designate one sutler already attached to some organization in their commands for the purpose of supplying whatever is wanted for headquarters. By command of Major-General Meade: S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General. GENERAL ORDERS,) No. 78. HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, August 20, 1863. ** 3. Supplies for officers may be procured by sending an agent with a list of the articles to be obtained signed by a general officer and approved by the provost-marshal-general, or by his authority. I send a deserter from Hill's corps, who says that Hill moved last night toward the railroad; how far he went the deserter does not know. The people of Petersburg say he is going to Pennsylvania. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS, Major-General HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: I send to provost-marshal-general a deserter from Sixty-first Virginia. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS, General HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: The prisoner I sent up from the Sixty-first Virginia this morning was from Hill's corps, and said nothing about the corps having moved. He deserted from picket. WINF'D S. HANCOCK, My pickets and scouts report heavy skirmishing in the direction of Reams' Station; began about 8 a. m. and continues at intervals. I have sent out scouts to try and ascertain. Have we any troops in that direction beyond my lines? T. M. BRYAN, JR. WINF'D S. HANCOCK. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General HANCOCK, The major-general commanding directs that you hold your corps in readiness to move at a moment's warning. In the event of Hill having moved against our left flank, you will be directed against him. Direct General Ferrero to hold himself ready to move also. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Major-General HANCOCK, Commanding Second Corps: The major-general commanding directs that you concentrate your corps at once in the vicinity of the Williams house, destroying your present intrenchments; those that must be destroyed during the night will be first attended to, if all cannot be destroyed simultaneously. General Warren is directed to occupy the redoubt to-night and to arrange his picket-line with a view to your corps being withdrawn at any moment. Your picket-line will connect with his on the right and occupy the general direction and position of your present position. General Ferrero will be directed to move at daylight to the position designated in the communication to-day. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General and Chief of Staff. Major-General HUMPHREYS, HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS, Chief of Staff: I understand from Colonel Morgan that it is a question between withdrawing to-night and in the morning. Would it answer the purpose to destroy the intrenchments during the night and move the com |