Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-08-21
SANITARY COMMISSIONS.
SICK AND WOUNDED SOLDIERS
pnELIMINARY RErnnr-


0fMe Operations gt The Sdniidrg Commission ,eiM
tie Army Of tie Potomac Duriag Me Ccmya,gn
IF June and Jaip, 1868,
WAsnINGroN, July 90, 1863
10 ne Erecafge COMMITTEE Of tie Sdajtg,y Con-
mission.
GENTLEMEN: In accordance with your request,
statement OF recent operations in the Depart
ment of the Potomac is herewith pr rented. No
general reports have bt en- received ir ON the ln-
spectoi in the field, and the Secretary of the
Depa rment being still absent at Gettysburg, it
will necessarily be incomplete, but will suffice
to show that the organization Of the Commission
has accomplished It's design in the premises,
Notwithstanding msfoltunes for which it was
not to be expected that provisions should be
made
The Army of the Potomac broke camp on the
RappahanDock on the 18th Of June, the cill ctivc
forces moving northward by forced marches,
and the sick and wounded beng removed by rail
to Acquia Creek, and thence By steamboat to
Washington A small part of tie Commissions
Potomac Relief Corps was sent out with the
marching columns; the stores aud iurniture of
the relief stations and depOts at Falmouth, Poto-
mac Greek, and Brooks Station were hastily but
safely removed to Acquia Greek, whence rs soon
as the inmates of the hospitals had been embark
ed, they were all shipped on steamboat which
had been held there tor that purpose.
The number Of hospital patients to be removed
was nearly 10000. They were taken from Acquia
Creek on such boats as the Quartermasters De
partment was able tu obtain for the emergency
at Washington. No provision having been made
on board Of them for such service, and .AaiAg
crowded, there was nect ssarily much hqa IL
The patients were landed immediatef 3@Un 'hn
arrival of the boats at the Government wharf ut
Washington, where owing to the nr3f slrily limit
ed number OF vehicles which had been command
ed, they accumulated in large numbers. The
agents Of the Commission, with cousiderablevo-
unteer force engaged for the occasion, lab0rel
night and day to provide for their wants, aud this
with as much good judgment az zeal, kitchen
having been previously established on the wharf,
cauldrnns OF hot beef soup and coffee with br, ld
| by the wagon load. were kept constantly ready,
aud served to all as they arrived, and as often
as they needed while they remain |. More
than 5000 were fed in two days, mud most of
the patients thus received the only nourishment
they obtained from the time they left the camps
ON the RlppahannOck till they reached their
destination IN the iiSel hospitals. Those gong
northwaId from Washington were srcoud time
provided for in a similar manner, Mt tho railway
station in Washington. Many of the a,ent3 of
the Commission labored Mt the mo two and
three days and highs withoutr' The ordinary
especial relief busin' ls OF the Commission at
Washington was at the same time much in
creased. Twenty stragglers and discharged men
died ut its Home within a fortnight.
The wagons of the Commission attending the
army on its march were frequently replenishcl Il
witt supplies sent out from the depot at Wash
ingtOn, and daily rendered valuable and asss
tance to the surgeons having the care OF the mon
wounded in the sRirmshes, in the cavalry en-
gagements at the gaps Of the mountains, and
those falling i'll under the fatgues and privatiOne
OF the several forced marches, undertaken IN the
heat Of midsummer in dry and desolate region
Immediately upon the retreat OF len. Milroy',
forces from Winchester, II was ascertlned that
the supply of hospital stores at Harper Ferry
| was very limited mud a relief agent was sent IL
charge of wagon-load of such stores, from the
8 Commissions depot Mt Frederick, as would sup
ply the more important deficiencies. This wa
a got safely through, but the wagon, on its return
1 with the teamster and horses, was captured BY
Q Stuart's cavalry, The relief agent, having re-
6 manned with the wounded at Ilarper's Ferry
escaped. The teamster is still missing
II The Commissions stores at Frederick wer
e safely concealed during its occupation by th
enemy, but as soon as the army of the Potoma
/, reached there, the depot was again opened anl
= the stock increased. The wagons moving will
= the army have since received their supplies iron
II this point
d When the enemy was known TO have crosset
e the Potomac in force, responsible and expert
euccd officers Of the Commission were statiOne
~ ut llhfllsDuTEs lullhutlpulHs iulNllhViNg Hu
II Frederick, and systematic daily commuuca
,s ton was established between them and III
" agents moving with the different columns Of til
= army and the central office Of the Commission
le Supplies were accumulated and held ready lC
II movement at different points on the oircuu
al ference of the seat Of war, and care was take
e, to have ample reserves at the Branch oflc'
N ready for shipment. With the first news of IL
es battle of Gettysburg, Westminster, the neare
Id point of railway communication to the butt
or field, was fixed upon as the point Of approach
We and authority to run a car daily with the Go
AS ernment trains TO that station was obtained.
Id Two wagon. loads Of battlefield supplies hi
he been distributed TO meet Deficiencies in the stor
II of the surgeons, shortly before the battle con
he menceI. These wagons returned to Frederic
u for loads, and two others, fully loaded, arrive
e. from Frederick at the moment of the assault
in Longstreet upon the left wing of the loyal arm
lie and were pushed forward under fire, TO rel
he the collections Of wounded in its rear. As o
ler of them came to point where several hundr
: sufferers had been taken from the ambuances n
laid upon the ground behind barn and in
orchard, less than five hundred yards in the te
tia of our line of battle, on the left wing, th
fiercely engaged, a surgeon was seen TO thr