Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-11-29
The Hospitals at Corinth-Reporto OF state
Agent. George w. Sturgis.

EDWARD sALoMos, Governor of Wiconsin:
In pursuance of Instructions l arrived
st this post on the 7th of October, at 7
p. N. On the morning Of the 18th |
waited on the Medical Director and Sur
geon in charge Of the general hospitals at
this post, Surgeon Norman Gay, WHO in
formed me in answer to your Excellency' s
inquiry I" if any more surgeons or nurses
We're wanted, and i; So, that you were
ready to furnish them" that he had at
present full and adequate supply. Large
numbers of the sick and wounded had
been sent North, and more would be as
soon as the requisite trans portation could
be furnished.
received a communication respecting
John P. Iilingwood. | visited the 18th
regiment, in camp near this place, and as
certaiDed that he died Of typhoid fever on
the 7th OF October, and that his brother,
William P. Illingwood, was killed in the
battle here on the Sd inst Captain Estee,
OF Co. Il, at NY request, had their effects
boxed and sent home directed to their
mother, Mrs. Mary P. Illingswood, Bell
vile, Dane county, Wisconsin. | thor
oughly visited the hospitals. The large
three story building erected for a Female
seminary Is used as the hospital The
first floor Is occupied by the surgeon in
charge as all Office, also the dispensary and
hospital stewards Office; and part of the
first floor and two upper stories are occu
pied by sick and wounded officers and
desperately wounded soldiers. The mel
are mostly in tents, and, under the cir
cum stances, | found things in far better
condition than | anticipated. The tents
are arranged in wards, in the grounds
surrounding the hospital, each ward pre-
sided over by surgeon, ward master, and
as many careful nurses as are needed [
was kindly received by all, and everg
assistance | needed rendered me- l fDd
here at this post, in 6 o. Hauiiton's brig
ede in Sulivan's division, the 9th and 18Th
Wisconsin batteries III Gen. Staniey's
division the 9Th Wisconsin regiment, and
in Gen. McArthur's division the l4;h,
10Th, l7th aud 18Th regiments Wisconsin
volunteers. My duty in getting a correct
list of the sick and wounded has beei
difficult and laborious, as men are being
constantly sent North. But | have sue.
ceeCed, and have seer and conVersed with
them all. There are now in general hos
pital $50 patients, and there have been
1857 sent North since the battle at this
place on the 4th inst.
A large force OF contrabands are kept
at work fortitying and building intrench-
meDts around the town, and from indica-
tons ! am led to suppose that but limi-
ted number OF patients will be kept in the
hospitals here and all others sent north
The nights are cool, and from scant cloth
lug the sick in the tents suffered inconve-
nence as there was severe frost. The
spirits and prospects of the men are good.
and they all seem disposed to look on the
bright side of things.
Eighth November, 1862 Received or,
ders this day to close up my report and
pIoceed to Keokuk, Iowa, visiting en-
route Paducah, Mound City and Cairo tor
further orders.
On the second of November, Hamilton's
Brigade, which embraced SuIllvan's, Stan
legs and McArthur's divisions, and COM
sall of the Wisconsin regiments and
batteries, received orders for forward
march, with light three days ratlons,
leaving camp equipage in charge
Of the ineffective men, and to have all in
the regimental hospitals sent to the gene.
raj hospital. This influx causes some con
fusion, but the surgeon 10 charge. DR..
Norman Gay, has taken the Tishiningo
Hotel and four large stores, which are be-
ing rapidly converted into hospital uses,
and will. wheu arranged, make full accom-
modatlons for 1850 patients. have had a
fair chance to judge of the value of the SER
vices rendered by Mrs. Bickerdyke, who is
placed here by the Chicago Santary Com.
mission to superintend the sanitary and
linen department, and preparing the food
AID comforts for the sick. She most adj
mirably performs her duty, sparing no
time or trouble. Up early and late, al
ways busy, and conducting the cooking
with cleanliness and order she has won
and will retain the gratitude of all the
sick at this post for her kindness and
care.
w W. Estabrook, chaplain to the 18th
regiment Iowa volunteers, officiating as
chaplain at the general hospital, find to
be gentleman well fitted for his duties
and exercising valuable control over the
inmates.
The hospital is much in want of shirts,
drawers, socks and quilted coverets It.
is moderately supplied with reading mat
ter. Dried fruits, preserves and .iellies
can be dispensed with. The ratiOns al
lowed by army regulations a-e in excess
of requirements, and the fund acquired by
the Overplus can be converted into luxu-
res and necessary eatabl 5 for the sick,
but cannot be expended in clothing
Hence the propIiety of calling the atten-
ton Of the benevolent and philanthropic
to sending extra clothing instead of the
fruits and preserves.
In anticipation of leaving, I made out
and forwarded to your Excelency COM
plete list OF the sick and wounded mere on
the 9th inst.
On or about the 25th of October, the
Surgeon III charge, Surgeon Gay, man
eminently qualified by experience and
standing, forwarded to the Medical d.
rector of Gen. Grants District, 81. r.
Writ, at Jackson, for his approval, APP
plication papers for the discharge OF %
patients, made out under his own exami-
nation; Is of then were returned on the
9th of November. DR.. Gay showed them
to me. Que returned was for desperate
Phthisis Consumption and di trrbpa, and
his was returned with an endorsement in
pencil, "so5ich lung qtected?" Before
the paper was received the man had died.
Another, w. ". Wyman, 9Th Wiscon
sin Battery; Surgeon Miller went with
him to Dr. Gay, and Lad him examined.
It was very aggravated case of rupture
roI