The Soldiers' journal. (Rendezvous of Distribution, Va.) 1864-1865, 1864-05-04

army corps. It is commanded by a General and
his staff Includes necessarily, Medical Direc-
tor who has the general supervision of the med
lcal and hospital department of that army and
Medical PurveyOr who has in his immediate
charge all the medical and hospital supplies, in
ample quantities for it's use. All these supplies
are furnished by the Government
The army corps is the unit of organization for
the medical department of that army. The Gem
eral commanding the corps has included neces-
sarily in his staff the Medical Director of the
corps, whose duty it is to supervise, inspect adj
wise and direct, specially, the medical officers of
his army corps; to organize, locate and super
wise the field hospitals, and to direct the ambu-
Iances of the corps.
An army corps has in it at least two divisions
each division has three brigades and each bri-
gade several regiments Each regiment has
three medical offcers--one surgeon and two as
sistant surgeons. From the medical officers of
each division are selected, with great care as to
their fitness for the special duties to which they
are now to be assigned, fifteen, to be organized
into what is termed the division field hospital
1t is constituted as follows:
One surgeon in charge.
Three operating surgeons.
Three assistant operating surgeons to each OPP
Grating surgeon.
One recorder, whose duty it is to keep record
of the name, rank, company, &C.. of each
wounded man, and a full history of his case; to
have the dead buried; and to have head board
with the name, &C., placed at each grave.
One Commissary and Quartermaster, whose
duty it is to seize and prepare all houses places
for hospitals, to obtain straw for the beds prov-
sions and clothing for the use of the wounded,
all necessary tents, and all transportation neces-
sary, &C., &C.
The medical officers of this organization march
with their regiments, and discharge their regi-
mental duty until Immediately before battle,
when, by an order emanatng from the Medical
Director of the corps, who accompanies the Gen
eral commanding the corps, they fall out seize
such places are indicated to them by the Med
ical Director the surgeons in charge, and there
establish the division field hospital tits always
in the immediate vicinity of the battle ground,
upon it.
Each division has about thirty ambulances or
three to each regiment; each ambulance has one
driver and two attendants, and carries two lit
ters. The Division Ambulance Corps is COM
manded by Captain, First and Second Lieuten-
ants, and Sergeants 1t is the duty of the
ambulance attendants to secure the wounded
whenever the fire Iulls or the line of battle adj
vances and convey them to the ambulances
which approach as to be often under fire.
Each regiment goes into the fight with at least
one medical officer, oftener two, with their stew
ards and hospital attendants, who are packed
with hospital knapsacks well stored with medi-
cines and dressings. He himself carries strapped
upon him, and in his hands and pockets, stimu-
lants, styptics, ligatures, opiates, bandages,
sponges, and his pocket-case with all it's needles
armed. His duty is to superintend the removal
of the wounded by the attendants and ambulan-
ceS to administer Such medicines and rem dias