tion of the sick and wounded, and the general transactions of the medical department of the Fourteenth Army Corps, since its passage of the Tennessee River up to the time of reaching Chattanooga. The regiments and batteries were all abundantly supplied with medicines and surgical instruments, the latter having, previous to our march, been thoroughly inspected and repaired by an expert. Aside from the usual regimental supplies, which are transported in the hospital wagons and accompany the regiments, we were provided with a reserve supply, consisting of hospital tents, blankets, sheets, hair pillows, shirts, drawers, bed-sacks, surgical instruments, bandages, lint, mess-chests (including cooking utensils), concentrated milk and beef, liquor, chloroform, and such other medicines, surgical apparatus, and hospital stores as experience has taught to be most needed and useful in emergencies in the field. These supplies were in possession of the medical purveyor of the corps, subject to my order. They were transported in a train of 15 army wagons. Although these reserve supplies had been drawn upon since our advance from Murfreesborough in June last, they were still deemed ample in quantity. The four divisions of the corps were each provided with a train of 30 light two-horse ambulances, under the general control of the corps and division medical directors. In addition to these, each regiment and each battery had permanently attached to it 1 ambulance, which is usually driven in the rear of these commands. This arrangement of our ambulances has operated more satisfactorily than any other that has yet been tried in this army. Before the command entered upon the march it was directed that all men who were sick and who, in the judgment of the medical officers, would not be able to endure the fatigues of the campaign should be sent to the General Field Hospital at Stevenson. The First Division crossed the river at Bridgeport on the 4th of September, and on the 7th reached the valley between Raccoon and Lookout Mountains, where it remained in camp for two days. The march was continued on the 10th, crossing Lookout Mountain and encamping in McLemore's Cove. On the 11th it was ordered to close up on the Second Division, which had crossed the river at Caperton's Ferry on or about the 1st of September, and had continued its march in advance of the First Division, without interruptions, until it reached a point near Dug Gap, in Pigeon Ridge, where the enemy was encountered. About 7 a. m. on the 11th, the First Division closed up on the Second, and shortly before noon skirmishing began. Surgs. S. Marks and R. G. Bogue, the respective directors of the First and Second Divisions, established the hospital at Mrs. Davis' house, in the rear of the line of battle. Eight or 10 wounded had been brought in, when it was noticed that our forces began to retire. The wounded were promptly removed by ambulances; first to Bailey's Cross-Roads, and finally to Stevens' house, at the foot of Lookout Mountain, near Stevens' Gap. No wounded were left upon the field. The casualties of the affair were as follows: The wounded were well cared for at this temporary hospital, and on the 16th, after consulting the general commanding the corps, I directed the wounded and those of the sick who were hospital cases to be sent to Chattanooga by the Chattanooga Valley road. A medical officer and a number of nurses were detailed to accompany this train. I regret to say that, up to this time, 2 of the wounded had died. Three were so seriously injured as not to be transportable, and, by the direction of the medical director of the Second Division, a medical officer was detailed to remain and take care of them. The Third Division moved from the mouth of Battle Creek and effected the passage of the Tennessee River by the evening of the 3d of September, with the loss of 3 men by drowning. This command also crossed Raccoon and Lookout Mountains, reaching the southeast side of the latter on the forenoon of the 13th without any casualties. The Fourth Division, having crossed the river at Shellmound, marched over the above-mentioned mountains, and arrived in McLemore's Cove about the same time with the division last referred to. I regret to say that the medical director, Surg. O. Q. Herrick, and the brigade surgeons of the command, who were subsequently captured at the battle of Chickamauga, still remain in the hands of the enemy, preventing me in a great measure from furnishing an account of those incidents of the march that might be of interest to our branch of the service without having been furnished with the particulars. I respectfully refer to an encounter with the enemy which took place on the 11th and 12th of September, in which the Seventeenth and Seventy-second Indiana and Ninety-second Regiment Illinois Volunteers were engaged, and sustained the loss of 8 killed and 19 wounded. Our forces were heavily pressed by the rebels, and as soon as the wounded were removed from the field they were sent to Chattanooga for treatment. The manner in which both officers and men accomplished the laborious and fatiguing marches over the rough mountains, with a frequent scarcity of water, and through the dusty valley roads of this sandy region, where the atmosphere about the moving columns was at times almost suffocating, has demonstrated in a marvelous degree the power of endurance of our troops. On the 17th of September the command commenced moving toward the left, and continued marching in that direction, when early on the morning of the 19th it was discovered that the enemy confronted us. Our troops were rapidly placed in line of battle on the grounds now known as the "Chickamauga battle-field." The Second Division, however, had been left at a point near Crawfish Spring, about 4 miles distant to the right. On the morning of the 19th one brigade of this division became engaged with the enemy at that point. The wounded of this affair were conveyed to hospitals which were about being established in that vicinity. Upon information received from Asst. Surg. D. Bache, assistant medical director, Department of the Cumberland, that Crawfish Spring was intended for the principal depot for the reception of the wounded, the directors of the Second and Fourth Divisions of this corps at once commenced establishing their division hospitals at that place, making use of the regimental hospital supplies for that purpose, Along the line of battle previously referred to the engagement had commenced, and the wounded were being rapidly removed from the field and conveyed to the hospitals. When it was discovered at Crawfish Spring that the fighting bore toward the left, an attempt was made to move the Fourth Division hospital nearer to the line of battle. The troops on the right, however, began to fall back, planting a battery in the vicinity of the new site for this hospital, and consequently compelling the surgeons to remove again to Crawfish Spring. The hospital of the First Division was established on the morning of the 19th at Dyer's house, which at that time was located in the rear of the right of this corps. A fine spring, a number of outbuildings, and plenty of straw near by rendered this a desirable locality for hospital purposes. Shortly before noon it was found necessary, on account of the large number of wounded at this place, to pitch the hospital tents. Everything went on quite well until about 5 p. m., when our troops began to retire in that direction, and soon the " enemy's grape and canister were being thrown in and around the hospital, making the locality entirely unsafe for the wounded." Orders were received from Surg. G. Perin, medical director of the department, to send the wounded to Crawfish. Our forces having repulsed the enemy from Dyer's house the surgeons were enabled to return to their duty. On the morning of the 20th about 40 wounded were still at this house, which it now became necessary to abandon. Surgeon Reeve, who had been placed in charge of this hospital, succeeded, with the medical officers under him, in removing all the wounded and property, except the hospital tent of the Seventy-ninth Pennsylvania. By 10 o'clock they were on the road to Chattanooga. The Third Division became engaged with the enemy early on the 19th. The hospital was located on the grounds at Cloud's house, in the rear, and between 1 and 2 miles to the left of the point where the fighting first commenced, and on the direct road to Rossville. The wounded from various divisions, including a large number of those of the enemy, were accumulating at this hospital, and before night the number reached near 1,000. Straw was brought for bedding, hot coffee and soup served, and fires built as near as practicable to the wounded, for their protection from the cold of the night air. I remained here until the next morning, and continued operating with the medical officers present on such cases as imperatively demanded it, until the lowness of the temperature caused us to discontinue for the night. During the next morning I returned to headquarters in the field, and while there this hospital became cut off by the enemy. I was unable either to reach it myself or to get a messenger through. Surgeon Tollman, the division director, reports that while on that forenoon the medical officers were engaged with wounded, a furious cannonade opened upon them, slightly injuring several men and killing a wounded officer. Those who were able to walk were started on foot, and all available ambulances and wagons were loaded with wounded and started for Rossville, distant about 4 miles to the left and toward Chattanooga. About 60 non-transportable cases were left, and as in all probability more of our wounded would subsequently reach this point, 3 medical officers were detailed to remain. The regimental hospital tents and tents of the medical officers of this division, together with a portion of the regimental supplies, fell into the hands of the enemy. During the forenoon of the 20th, I endeavored, in company with the medical director of General McCook's corps, to reach the hospitals at Crawfish Spring. We were soon met, however, by the enemy's skirmishers and compelled to return. About noon we noticed numerous wagons and ambulances moving on the roads to the rear, and subsequently large numbers of troops from the right and center were also moving in that direction. The ambulances were mostly loaded with wounded. We directed them to move to Chattanooga, via Rossville. I had directed the medical purveyor of the corps, Asst. Surg. H. C. Barrell, on the evening of the 19th, to bring up the reserve supplies on the road leading from Rossville to the Third Division hospital at Cloud's house, believing this to be the most suitable locality (from the knowledge I possessed of the country) at which to collect the larger number of wounded, on account of the direct communication, by good roads, with Chattanooga. On the morning of the 20th I sent a messenger to Dr. Barrell, informing him that the Third Division hospital had fallen into the hands of the enemy, and directing him to take the Dry Valley road, which it appears he had already done. Being met by retreating troops and wagons, it was deemed prudent to halt this train of supplies, which was thus saved and subsequently taken to Chattanooga, where, by order of the medical director of the department, they were issued to the hospitals at this place and served a good purpose. During the latter part of the afternoon the wounded from the left, where the battle was still raging, crowded the road leading from McDonald's house to the Dry Valley road. Many were conveyed in ambulances, and hundreds of the slightly injured who were able to walk or be led by their comrades moved along on foot. After nightfall the command retired upon Rossville. The wounded continued to move to the rear nearly all night. On Monday morning, the 21st, ambulances were driven as far front as it was safe for them to go, and gathered up such wounded as had not been recovered in that vicinity during the night; a large number still at Rossville that morning were also sent to the rear. A new line of battle was formed at the latter place. We suffered but little here, and the very small number of injured were all brought away. Aside from the hospital arrangements, which had been made by the medical director of the department previous to our reaching this point, a general field hospital was about being established on the opposite side of the river. At my request I was permitted to appropriate a part of this for a corps field hospital. It remained under my general superintendence, with Surgeon Marks in charge, until the 10th instant, when all hospitals of this character were consolidated into one general field hospital. It is the opinion generally of our surgeons that the wounded are doing remarkably well. I regret to say that 19 of our medical officers, who remained at the captured hospitals, are still in the hands of the enemy, notwithstanding that our wounded have been paroled and brought within our lines. The following is a list of the names of these officers: Surg. O. Q. Herrick, Surg. C. S. Arthur, Surg. C. N. Fowler, Surg. Joseph Fithian, Surg. J. L. Worden, Surg. John McCurdy, Surg. J. R. Brelsford, Surg. James P. Reeve, Surg. L. J. Dixon, Asst. Surg. W. B. Graham, Asst. Surg. J. C. Elliott, Asst. Surg. A. H. Shaffer, Asst. Surg. E. F. Purdum, Asst. Surg. N. H. Sidwell, Asst. Surg. Frederick Corfe, Asst. Surg. William P. Hornbrook, Asst. Surg. D. D. Benedict, Asst. Surg. C. O. Wright, Asst. Surg. A. H. Landis. I have been informed by Surg. O. Q. Herrick, from the enemy's lines, that all the medical officers with him have been paroled to report to the commandant of the post at Atlanta as soon as relieved from taking care of the United States sick and wounded prisoners. The conduct of the medical officers of this corps has, with few exceptions, been highly commendable. Special mentions have been made in division reports, which will be forwarded to Surg. G. Perin, medical director, Department of the Cumberland. I refer especially to the services of the following: Surg. S. Marks, medical director, First Division; Surg. R. G. Bogue, medical director, Second Division; Surg. M. C. Tollman, medical director, Third Division; O. Q. Herrick, medical director, Fourth Division, and the efficient medical purveyor of the corps, Asst. Surg. H. C. Barrell. Arrangements have been made to get an accurate list of the names of the wounded, including those sent to the hospitals in the rear. When this has been accomplished in a satisfactory manner a copy will be forwarded. At present I add only the following estimates of numbers: * It is believed by the director of the First Division that future information from those marked as missing on other reports will swell this estimate of wounded in that command. While attempting to reach the Third Division hospital, on the morning of the 20th, in company with the topographical engineer, Captain Gaw, I received a slight wound in the neck, by a musket ball, not disabling me, however, for duty. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant. Surg., U. S. Vols., Medical Director, 14th Army Corps. Maj. Gen. GEORGE H. THOMAS, Commanding Fourteenth Army Corps. No. 15. Report of Col. John G. Parkhurst, Ninth Michigan Infantry, Provost-Marshal. HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS, : DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, PROVOST-MARSHAL'S OFFICE, COLONEL I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Ninth Regiment Michigan Infantry, provost *See revised statement p. 171. |