brought up later. On the evening of the 19th the enemy attacked the Fifth again, maintaining the struggle until after dark, when they were finally repulsed.

August 21 the Second Corps (from Deep Bottom), taking ten ambulances to a division, advanced to the position on the Weldon railroad occupied by the Fifth Corps, and, facing southward, continued to destroy the road as they went until the 25th, when, reaching Reams' Station, they encountered the enemy. On the 21st the enemy attacked very determinedly the Fifth, but were repulsed, with heavy loss, leaving 160 of their wounded in our hands. The medical service was here performed under great exposure, but it was unavoidable, the position being exposed to converging fire. The labors of the ambulance service in the corps were severe-2 sergeants were killed, 6 men wounded, 19 captured, 8 stretcher-bearers killed; shells passed through two ambulances.

The Second Corps at Reams' Station, also on the Weldon railroad, occupied a position quite as exposed to simultaneous attack from several directions on the 25th, and more distant from the permanent base and field hospitals. Its wounded were temporarily received in Reams' Church, where the hospital staff of each division made a rendezvous. The field companions and ambulances furnished the required dressings and appliances. The cavalry division of General Gregg had with it a medicine wagon, which was very useful. The medical director Second Corps sent back for one also for his command, but it did not arrive; indeed, it only escaped capture by the sergeant in charge prudently returning it again to the park after observing the enemy (as he advanced) occupying the road. The church was far from being a place of security, and, indeed, there was none attainable. The line of defense described two-thirds the circumference of a circle, with a radius so small (reports the medical inspector, Asst. Surg. Charles Smart, U. S. Army) that bullets fired at the left coursed over the inclosed area and struck down men in position on the right.

During the more vigorous assault at 2 p. m., the ambulances, the wounded, medical officers, and attendants were retired about 100 yards to a shallow ravine, affording some shelter. The ambulances once filled were sent (via the Gary Church road) at some risk to the Williams house and empty vehicles were sent for. The fresh trains reached the corps safely prior to the final assault made by the enemy at 5 p. m. This was so severe from all sides that the destroyed railroad and position at that point was relinquished. The ambulance officers succeeded in loading up with the wounded who could not retire; others were carried by stretchermen and aided by stragglers. While none of the wounded behind the breast-works were left those on the advanced picket could not be removed. Four medical officers, two hospital stewards, and ten stretchermen were detailed to remain and care for them. From subsequent information it would appear that 66 of our wounded were made prisoners and 146 of our men were buried on the field. Assistant Surgeon Jewett, Fourteenth Connecticut Volunteers, Second Corps, received a severe shell wound. The train of wounded from Reams' Station proceeded to the Williams house, aided by ambulances of the Ninth Corps, and after receiving necessary surgical attention the cases were sent to City Point. The Second Corps retired to positions near the Jerusalem plank road.

The Second Cavalry Division on the 23d accompanied the Second Corps on the right flank and in advance, while the railroad was torn up on the way to Reams' Station. On the Dinwiddie Court-House road, meeting the enemy, it suffered a loss of 40 wounded, who were taken

to Reams' Church. After the necessary operations and attention they were sent in ambulances to City Point; ten ambulances remained with the cavalry as a reserve, after sending the others off. The Emmons house, near Reams' Station, was first taken for hospital purposes, but being declared unsafe by General Hancock it was vacated; the property and personnel moved toward Reams' Church. During the affair at Reams' the Second Division Cavalry was posted on the left of the Second Corps, Colonel Spear's brigade picketed on the right. One Autenrieth medicine wagon was attached to the cavalry in addition to the ambulances as before stated. The wounded of the cavalry division (General Gregg's) amounted to 83.

Number of wounded brought to field hospitals at this period:

The position of the corps on the 29th was about as follows: The Fifth in advanced position on the extreme left, one division beyond the Weldon railroad, with flanks extended across the road, one division of the Ninth Corps connecting with right flank of Fifth, two on the left flank in two lines of works, one division of the Second Corps extending the left flank (in rear), and one division of the Second Corps extending right flank in front and massing across the Jerusalem plank road. The subjoined sketch illustrates the positions and field hospitals:*

The operations of the cavalry in August on the north side are thus described by Asst. Surg. George M. McGill, U. S. Army:

On the 15th, still moving on the right of the Second Corps, the pickets of the cavalry division were attacked while the command halted and nine men wounded. These were carried back to the division hospital near the river, a distance of three miles, at which the required operations were performed. On the 16th the cavalry wounded, having received all the necessary attentions, were transferred to the hospital of the Second Corps to await their transportation to City Point, which was hourly expected. Supported by General Miles' brigade, of the Second Corps, the Second Brigade of Cavalry on the 16th made a reconnaissance toward Richmond, advancing on the Charles City road as far as White's Tavern, and losing so many wounded in the skirmish attending this advance that it became necessary to bring up the five ambulances attached to the First Brigade, thus using ten on the field. At White's Tavern the brigade of infantry was advanced and became sharply engaged by a heavy force, and was finally driven back. Our forces fell back and all of the cavalry wounded were brought with them, many riding their horses. Such of the wounded of the infantry as there was room for were also carried. The enemy attacked in turn before our forces crossed what is called Deep Run-the stream from White Oak Swamp. In this attack of theirs our cavalry was driven in some disorder; 90 were wounded. After the enemy was checked from the south bank of Deep Run, the cavalry wounded were collected and speedily removed in ambulances borrowed from the Second Corps to the hospital of division, located near the Second Corps hospitals, in a pine wood near the James. Such of the infantry wounded as had been collected were at the same time carried to the hospital of the Second Division of the Second Corps; they numbered about 100. During the following night of the 16th-17th all these wounded men were thoroughly examined, carefully dressed, and well fed. Primary operations were performed at the same time, several resections; no injuries of very remarkable character were observed. One Pirogoff's operation was performed, in which subsequently (ten days) secondary operation was found necessary.

*See page 190 for diagram.

It may be proper to mention more in detail the operations of the Fifth and Ninth Corps, more especially the Fifth, which was peculiar, occupying a point most essential to the enemy, which they could not give up without detriment to their line of supply. It being also far out on the flank it was improper and impossible (for military considerations) to advance much hospital property to any convenient point until it was determined that the Fifth could hold the ground against all odds. The area was so limited and exposed to fire that the medical director (Surg. J. J. Milhau, U. S. Army) had necessarily to adopt a management that resembled that of the cavalry. On the 18th the Ninth Corps had not arrived or supported the Fifth. The enemy at one time swung in on the right of the Fifth, turned a part of the line, capturing prisoners, whom they carried off on their return to their own lines. At the earliest moment proper the Fifth Corps field hospital was advanced to the Williams house from the vicinity of army headquarters. In the absence of the corps director's report, I have recourse to a memoir of the operations of that period prepared and submitted to me by Asst. Surg. George M. McGill, U. S. Army acting inspector, Army of the Potomac.

The Fifth Corps reached the Weldon railroad at 11 a. m. August 18 (four hours before the rain of that day). The enemy attacked at noon. The hospital train had arrived, primary rendezvous were formed with the material at hand, patients being placed under tent flies. Orders were sent to proper officers with the inain trains to re-establish field division hospitals on the Prince George Court-House road. A train of wounded was sent back from the Fifth at 11 p. m. Operators were sent back to the division hospitals in the rear, as it was found impossible to render without inconvenience, injury, and unwarrantable risk to the wounded, all the necessary attention and comfort they required. The rain made the locality a swamp; shelter was insufficient, the rendezvous hospitals were on a flat swept by the missiles of the enemy. The available ambulances were used for the train at 11 p. m.; 400 were sent in and 100 wounded remained. The casualties were chiefly in the Second Division, but the surgeons of the other divisions at the Prince George Court-House hospital, where they were concentrated, assisted those of the Second. It rained all night. Two ambulances were next morning abandoned in the deep mud. The low ground being barely passable for horses, a new and shorter road via the Aiken honse, Jerusalem plank road by Williams' house, was made on morning of 19th. This second ambulance route became soon as bad as that by Temple's, and proved a severe trial of ambulance discipline and perseverance.

On the 19th I ordered the Sixth Corps ambulances (then assisting to clear the Ninth Corps hospitals) to report to Inspector Winne, of the Fifth, to remove the wounded to City Point, where they were sent, having received all proper attention on that and the succeeding day. The ambulance service from the front was very severe, pioneer parties preceded the trains, but the labor became such that to avoid utter exhaustion of men and animals, it became necessary to advance on the division hospitals (then seven miles in rear), four miles toward the front, to a site near Finn's (Williams' house to the south), which was accepting an attendant risk, until a line of works or troops connected the old main line with that being gained at the Weldon railroad. The transfer of hospitals and patients from Prince George Court-House locality, both ways (patients to City Point and the hospitals to the new site) was made as ordered. On the afternoon of the 19th the enemy assaulted again, the Second and Fourth Divisions losing heavily, and it was night before the enemy was repelled, increasing the difficulty of collecting the wounded, the darkness being extreme, and heavy showers of rain continuing to fall. A train leaving at 9 p. m. was all night on the road. Five hours were consumed in getting an ambulance train on the 20th from the Weldon position to the Williams house. On that morning, however, all the wounded were lodged in the hospitals and the field ren

dezvous cleared. The day was well employed also in perfecting arrangements in hospital depots and trains. During the two days, 19th and 20th, the Ninth Corps was posted in support of the Fifth, the center opposite the Aiken house. One brigade of cavalry on the evening of the 19th was placed on the left of the Fifth. It had five ambulances, and they sufficed. The primary hospital rendezvous of the Ninth Corps were established (with canvas shelter for seventy to each division), First and Third Divisions at Gurley's, the Second at Smith's, and finally, on the 21st, that of the Fourth at the Williams house. The wounded at the Gurley house (including the wounded rebels of the 19th) were well lodged. The Second Division primary hospital was distant, approachable by a narrow wood road, open to approach by the enemy's cavalry. The operators accompanied the primary hospitals. The more elaborate hospitals near army headquarters with their wells, ice-houses, convenient kitchens, policed grounds, raised bunks, latrines, and fenced areas were not abandoned until it was evident the corps was to occupy the new ground permanently. Surg. Otto Schenck, Fortysixth Regiment New York Volunteers, Ninth Corps, wounded August 20, died on the 23d. The division of his corps was at that time in rear of the Fourth Division of the Fifth Corps, on the Weldon railroad.

On the 21st (a. m.) the Fifth Corps sustained a very heavy attack (the Second Corps meanwhile making its movement in the direction of Reams' Station), but being protected by breast-works its loss was about 150 wounded. The ambulance pickets and reserve trains on the immediate field were especially exposed as before stated, several officers and men wounded, and ambulances perforated by shot and shell. The exposure of officers and wounded was of course unavoidable and inherent to the position.

No further attack was made upon the Fifth Corps, and it remained undisturbed in possession of the Weldon railroad, and strengthened daily the position. The Ninth Corps was also stationary. The experience and exposure to which the wounded had been subjected induced the surgeon-in-chief of the Fifth to construct medical redoubts (as they were termed) in the vicinity of each division. A deep ditch was dug, the earth being thrown up around a stockade of logs or breast-works, furnished cover from horizontal missiles, while a rude roof protected the wounded inmates from shell. A medicine wagon could be drawn up at the entrance of the work convenient for use. After a time ditches were dug to dry the low grounds occupied by the corps and a very thorough system of drainage adopted. For a limited period whisky and quinine were issued to the command to obviate local malarial influences. The Second Corps had marched and countermarched so often, and so rapidly, as to arrive opportunely at opposite and distant positions, that it acquired the soubriquet of "Hancock's cavalry." Men fell out of ranks on these marches, and many were sent to City Point, unable to endure active duty, who were not seriously sick. In no one camp (says the medical director in report for September) did the corps remain four days at a time. The First Division was kept moving about for military reasons, now in rear of one front of the line, now supporting another, while the Second Division, on account of the cattle raid on our rear (September 16), was kept in a like state of activity in the neighborhood of Prince George Court-House. This continued until September 23, when the Second Division relieved the Tenth Corps in their position and works extending west from the Appomattox.