from the former site of the White House some three-fourths of a mile down the river, with a breadth of half a mile. Shelter, supplies, and facilities for cooking were in readiness when the first train reached the landing on the afternoon of the 1st of June. Captain Pitkin, assistant quartermaster, depot quartermaster, spared no effort in affording every facility for the prompt accommodation and comfortable transportation of these men. It being understood that this base was but temporary, every available steamer bound thence to Washington was temporarily provided with straw, rations, medical supplies, and cooking apparatus, and loaded with wounded. These were sent under charge of medical officers detailed to this duty by virtue of the pressing emergency, and the absolute impossibility of communicating with headquarters for orders. Thus thousands found immediate accommodations upon the boats without even the delay of registering their names, sufficient examination being given on the spot to prevent the escape of malingerers or deserters.

From the 1st of June to the 13th there were daily and sometimes hourly arrivals of trains from the front, the number thus received being sufficient to keep the hospitals full in spite of every effort to relieve them. On the 13th, however, the arrival ceased. Information was received that the army was moving by the left flank to the James River, and twenty-four hours sufficed to send away a large proportion of the remaining wounded, to strike the tents, repack and ship a good portion of the property. At this juncture Capt. J. E. Jones, assistant quartermaster, and Capt. B. F. Talbot, commissary of subsistence, reported for duty with the hospital department. The latter at once provided abundant subsistence stores, issued a sufficient quantity for those who must still remain a day or two, and shipped the remainder to be taken with the first medical boat for the new base. Asst. Surg. A. K. St. Clair, First Michigan Cavalry, was detailed to remain in charge at the landing, whence he successfully removed the remaining wounded and the stores.* I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, ED. B. DALTON, Surgeon, U. S. Volunteers, Chief Med. Officer.

Bvt. Lieut. Col. T. A. McPARLIN,

Medical Director, Army of the Potomac.

No. 6.

Report of Asst. Surg. Thomas G. Mackenzie, U. S. Army, Acting Medical Purveyor, including operations April 9–June 17.

MEDICAL PURVEYOR'S OFFICE, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Steamer Planter, City Point, Va., June 23, 1864. SIR: I have the honor respectfully to transmit the following report of my actions since my connection with the medical purveyor's department of the Army of the Potomac :

În accordance with Special Orders, No. 92, paragraph 19, dated headquarters Army of the Potomac, April 9, 1864, I proceeded to Alexandria, Va., for the purpose therein stated, viz, the establish

*For continuation of report, see Vol. XL, Part I.

ment of a medical purveying department at that place. Having obtained a suitable building (No. 43, Union street) I remained on duty there receiving and storing medical supplies and awaiting further orders.

On the morning of May 8, 1864, I received orders from the Acting Surgeon-General to dispatch at once to Rappahannock Station, on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, a battle-field supply for 3,000 wounded for seven days, including barrels for ice-water, tin cups, buckets, &c., for the use of the wounded on the train, expected down on the train from the front. The supplies were sent forward immediately in charge of a responsible steward, two cars having been loaded for a number of days previous with a battle-field supply in anticipation of the coming battles. Lemons (thirty boxes) were purchased and forwarded. The supply arrived safely at its destination, where it remained until the morning of the 9th of May, and was then ordered back to Alexandria. Immediately on its arrival, in accordance with instructions (received in the interim from the Surgeon-General's Office), the stores were unloaded and conveyed on board the steamers State of Maine and Connecticut, then lying at the wharf. These stores were all placed under charge of Surg. John H. Brinton, U. S. Volunteers, who was ordered to proceed to Fredericksburg with them. The steamers above mentioned started early on the morning of the 10th of May for Belle Plain.

Asst. Surg. George P. Jaquett, U. S. Army, having been placed in charge of the medical supply steamers Hugh Jenkins and Farmer, was also dispatched to Belle Plain, where he arrived before any other vessel was in sight, and a day in advance of the wounded to arrive from Fredericksburg at that point. It is worthy of remark, therefore, that medical supplies were there in advance of all others, and communications were at once opened with Surg. E. B. Dalton, U. S. Volunteers, chief medical officer at Fredericksburg, by Assistant Surgeon Jaquett, U. S. Army. Independent of the supplies taken down by Surg. J. H. Brinton, U. S. Volunteers, and Assistant Surgeon Jaquett, U. S. Army, I was ordered, on May 11, to proceed to Belle Plain with two barges loaded with medical and hospital stores. Arrived at said point early on the morning of the 12th, and reported to Lieutenant-Colonel Cuyler, acting medical inspector-general, U. S. Army. On my arrival at Belle Plain I found it impracticable for the steamers Hugh Jenkins and Farmer, on account of the shallowness of the water, and their deep draught, to lay alongside of the wharf. There was at that time but one U-shaped wharf, at which not only all the stores of the several departments had to be unloaded, but also the disembarkation of the troops arriving, as reenforcements had to be effected. To add to the confusion consequent upon the above, all the wounded were conveyed along the wharf to the transports, and consequently it was an utter impossibility to work expeditiously or effectually. Such being the case, it was thought best for the steamers to remain out in the stream, have requisitions filled there and convey them ashore in a lighter. Accordingly one was obtained from the quartermaster, Captain Pitkin, and detailed with a gang of negroes for that purpose alone. The two barges under my immediate charge were brought up as near the wharf as possible, and such articles as could be furnished from them (being principally hospital stores, bedding, clothing, &c.) were conveyed across other barges and loaded on other wagons as speedily as they came up. In this way requisitions were oftentimes filled, and

18 R R-VOL XXXVI, PT I

arranged on the barge occupied by Lieutenant-Colonel Cuyler, acting medical inspector-general, U. S. Army, as his headquarters, lying alongside the wharf, ere the wagons were there to receive them. All the medical supplies that could be gotten up to the wharf (i. e., those loaded in barges) were there, immediately adjoining the barge of the Sanitary Commission.

To supply the immediate wants of the wounded, so far as this department was concerned, a hospital tent was pitched on shore in charge of a steward, and filled from the steamers and barges with such supplies as were most likely to be needed, and from which the surgeon in charge of the hospital established on shore could draw in small quantities.

Not having been ordered down to Belle Plain until a subsequent date, and Assistant Surgeon Jaquett, U. S. Army, occupying virtually the position of medical purveyor at the time of my arrival, having most of the stores under his charge, it is not my province to debate further upon the subject. I cannot refrain, however, in this connection from attesting to the efficiency of the chief of the medical department in forwarding such ample supplies for the relief of the wounded and the untiring zeal manifested by the medical officers and their assistants in the execution of the multiplied duties devolving upon them. No one who was not present to witness it in person can form an adequate conception of the scene presented, and the astonishment of all was, with the difficulties under which we labored and the limited transportation at hand, that supplies were received in so short a time and in such quantities at Fredericksburg. No blame, therefore, can justly be attached to the medical department for the seeming delay in receiving supplies at that point, as they were promptly on hand at Belle Plain, and in sufficient quantities to meet any demand.

Having remained at Belle Plain until the morning of May 19, I was ordered by Lieutenant-Colonel Cuyler, acting medical inspectorgeneral, U. S. Army, to turn over what remained of my supplies to Assistant Surgeon Jaquett, U. S. Army, and report to the Acting Surgeon-General, U. S. Army, at Washington.

I left Belle Plain May 19 and reported to the Acting Surgeon-General May 20. The same night the steamer Planter was ordered to report to me, and instructions received to load her with all the supplies then in the warehouse in Alexandria. Two barges were also sent me to load such stores as could not be transported by steamer. In addition to the above another barge was procured and loaded exclusively with portions of a requisition made by Asst. Surg. J. B. Brinton, U. S. Army, medical purveyor, Army of the Potomac, May 17, 1864. An extract from a letter accompanying the requisition I here quote:

It is also desirable that he procure a barge and load it with 3,000 iron bedsteads or wooden cots, 3,000 mattresses, 10,000 sheets, 7,000 pillows, and 100 brooms, 400 rubber cushions with open center, 10,000 pillow-cases, 5,000 suits hospital clothing, 2,000 blankets, 3,000 counterpanes, 500 wooden buckets, 20 cauldrons, 12 cookingstoves with furniture complete, 10 barrels of ferri sulphas for disinfectant purposes, 200 pounds cocoa or chocolate, 200 pounds corn starch, 100 dozen bottles porter, 600 pounds oakum, and 1,000 bed-sacks. The above supply to be on a separate boat, and not to be used unless the emergency requires, which emergency will be the establishment of hospitals.

Having completed the loading of the steamer and barges, I was ordered on the morning of May 26, to proceed to Port Royal, Rappahannock River, Va., where I arrived on the evening of the 28th;

remained during the night, and left next morning (in obedience to orders received from Lieutenant-Colonel Cuyler, acting medical inspector-general, U. S. Army), at daylight for White House, Pamunkey River, Va. Arriving at White House May 31, I selected an eligible position, apart from the other departments, at a point near the wagon road; made a bridge of my barges and commenced operations. I had completed all my arrangements before any requisitions were presented. From that period until June 14, I remained at White House, where nearly 200 requisitions were filled. The amount issued was extremely large, but the supply on hand being ample (Assistant Surgeon Jaquett having turned over to me the steamers Hugh Jenkins and Farmer, by order of the Acting Surgeon-General), all the articles required for were furnished, no deficiencies occurring whatever, save in such articles as it was impossible to obtain from the medical purveyor at Washington, the principal articles being iron bedsteads or cots. I heard of no complaints against the department, either as regards quantities of supplies or the promptitude of their issue, and I am of the opinion that entire satisfaction was given. To Asst. Surg. J. B. Brinton, U. S. Army, medical purveyor, Army of the Potomac, much praise is due for his prudent forethought in making timely requisitions for large amounts of supplies, having a reserve supply ready at any moment in case of a change of base, besides keeping constantly on hand at Alexandria, Va., a supply sufficient to meet any emergency. The consequence was that this department has, at all the different depots established since the beginning of the campaign, been foremost on the ground, amply provided with all the articles for issue to the wants of the wounded required. Independently of its legitimate issues, it has vied with the Sanitary Commission and Christian Commission in the issue of delicacies purchased from the fund accruing from the tax on newspapers, which fund was intrusted to the care of the medical director, Army of the Potomac, for the benefit of the sick and wounded. For example, there has been received and issued during the campaign the following articles purchased from the above fund, viz, 700 dozen cans peaches, in 2-pound cans, 300 dozen cans tomatoes, in 2pound cans, 200 bottles assorted jellies, 100 boxes lemons, 50 boxes oranges, 40 barrels Boston crackers, 6 barrels cucumber pickles. In addition to the above, 30 boxes of lemons and 30 of oranges were sent by the department on requisition made by Asst. Surg. J. B. Brinton, U. S. Army, medical purveyor, Army of the Potomac. Ice has also been furnished in considerable quantities, not only supplying the immediate wants of the corps hospitals, at the depot, but also sending it forward to the division hospitals in the field. The department also furnished on requisition such articles as condensed milk, tea, extract coffee, porter, wines of different kinds, brandy, &c. From time to time, as occasion required, telegraphic requisitions were sent to Washington to the Acting Surgeon-General, and the articles were immediately forwarded.

On June 14, 1864, I left White House under orders to proceed to Jamestown Island, on the James River, and there rendezvous until further instructions were sent me. Arrived there on the evening of the 15th of June; remained there during that night, and on the afternoon of the 16th proceeded as far as North Bend, at which point a pontoon bridge was laid, across which the army was passing. Hence we started about midnight for City Point, where we arrived at early dawn, and after considerable trouble, I succeeded in obtain

ing a position, aside from the other departments, where I again constructed a bridge of my barges and commenced issuing. There being no further necessity for the wagon train with supplies, which, under the charge of Assistant Surgeon Brinton, U. S. Army, had followed the army since the commencement of the campaign, the wagons were unloaded and their contents stored on the boats. Assistant Surgeon Brinton, U. S. Army, medical purveyor, Army of the Potomac, then took charge. A pontoon bridge having been constructed on the Appomattox, in close proximity to the corps hospitals, for the especial purpose of affording greater facilities for issuing, as also of being nearer the hospitals, we accordingly moved up to that point.

In closing this report, I feel it but just to state in behalf of the medical department, the operations of which in all its phases I have had an opportunity of witnessing during this campaign, that despite the seemingly almost insurmountable difficulties under which it labored, sick and wounded soldiers were never as well cared for, either as regards skill in operations, successful treatment of disease, or abundance of supplies.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOMAS G. MACKENZIE, Assistant Surgeon, U. S. Army, Acting Medical Purveyor. Surg. THOMAS A. MCPARLIN, U. S. Army,

Medical Director, Army of the Potomac.

No. 7.

Report of Brig. Gen. Rufus Ingalls, U. S. Army, Chief Quarter

master.

OFFICE OF CHIEF QUARTERMASTER,

ARMIES OPERATING AGAINST RICHMOND, Va.,

City Point, Va., August 28, 1864. GENERAL: In compliance with your General Orders, No. 29, of the 6th ultimo, calling for an annual report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1864, I have the honor to submit the following:

As my last annual report was submitted on the 28th of September, 1863, during your absence in the field, and, so far as I have learned, not made of any particular service or reference by the officer acting as Quartermaster-General at the time, and as it contains all material information relative to the organization and operations of the quartermaster's department in the Army of the Potomac, with some useful statistical facts which will much reduce the length of this report, I herewith inclose a copy, marked I.*

**

*

*

*

*

*

The army was essentially quiet and at rest until the commencement of the "grand campaign" on the 4th of May, 1864. During this interval the army was made comfortable in pleasant and healthy cantonments. Supplies of all kinds were issued in ample quantities.

*See Vol. XXI, p. 146. Portions of report omitted relate to the Gettysburg campaign (Vol. XXVII), and to operations of the Army of the Potomac from Au gust 4 to December 31, 1863 (Vol. XXIX).