Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-03-22
Official.
LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
Passed at the First Session of the Thirty -Eiqhtl
Congress.
[PuBLIc-NO. 22.1

AN ACT to establish uniform system Of ambu-
lanoes in the armies of the United States.
BE Il enacted By the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatiDes ofHe United States of America in Con-
gress assembled, That the medical Director or
chief medical officer, Of each army corps shall,
under the control Of the medical director of the
army to which such army corps belongs, have
the direction and supervision of all ambulances,
medicine, and other wagons, horses, mules, har-
ness, and other fixtures appertaining thereto,
and of all officers and men who may be detailed
employed to assist him in the management
thereof, in the army corps in which he may be
serving.
Sec. 2. And be IL further enacted, That the
commanding officer of each corps shall detail
oihcers nnd enlisted men for service in the am
bulance corps of such army corps, upon the fol-
lowing basis viz one captain, who shall be
oommandant Of said ambulance corps; one first
lieutenant for each division in such army corps
one second lieutenant for each brigade in such
army corps one sergeant for each regiment in
such army corps three privates for each ambu.
lance, and one private ior each wagon and the
ofhcers and Hon-commissioned officers Of the am
bulanoe corps shall be mounted Provided, That
the ofhcers, non,eomHsissiOned officers, sSd pri-
vetes SO detailed for each army CORPS shall be
examined by board Of medical officers OF such
army corps as to their fitness for auch duty and
that such as are found to be not Qaslified shall
be rejected, and others detailed 10 their stead.
Sec q. And be IL further enacted, That there
shall be allowed and furnished to each srmy
corps two-horse ambulances, upon the following
basis, to wit: three to each regiment Of infantry
OF i've hundred men or more two to each regi-
ment of infantry Of more than two hundred and
less than Eve hundred men or more and one to
each regiment of infantry Of less than two hum
dred men; two to each regiment Of cavalry Of
hve hundred men or more and one 10 each reg
iment Of cavalry of less than Eve hundred men
one to each battery Of aitillery-tO which bat
tery of artillery it shall be permanently attach
ed; to the headquarters Of each army corps two
such ambulances and to each division train of
ambulanees two army wagons; and ambulancss
shall be allowed and furnished to division bri-
gades and commands not attached to any army
corps upon the same basis, and each ambulance
shall be provided with such number of stretohers
and other appliances as shall be prescribed by
the Surgeon General PROVIDED, That the ambu.
lances and wagons herein mentioned shall be
furnished, so far as practicable, from the ambu-
lanoes and wagons now in the service.
Sec. A. AHd be il further enacted That horse
and mule tters may be adopted or authorized by
the Secretary of War, in lieu Of ambuances,
when judged necessary, under such rules and
regulations as may be prescribed by the medical
director of eacn army corps,
Sec. 8. And be IL further enacted, That the
captain shall be the commander Of all the am
balances, medicine, and other wagons in the
corps under the immediate direction of the med
ical director or chief medical officer Of the army
corps to which the ambulance corps belongs
He shall pay special attention to the condition Of
the ambulances, wagons, horses, mules, harness,
and other fixtures apperlaining thereto, and see
that they are at all times in readiness for scr
vice that the officers and men Of the ambulance
corps are properly instructed in their Duties and
that their duties are performed, and that the
regulations which may be prescribed by the
Secretary Of War or the Surgeon General, for
the government of the ambulance corps are
strictly observed by those under his commsnd.
1t shall be his duty to institute drill In his
corps, instruoting his men in the most easy and
expeditions mlnner of moving the sick and
wounded, and to require in all cases that the
sick and wounded shall be treated with gentle
ness aud care, and that the ambulanoes and wa
gons ore at oil times provided with attendants,
drivers horses, mules, and whatever may be me-
oessary for their efficiency and il shall be his
duty also to see that the ambulances are not
used for any other purpose than that for which
they are designed and ordered. Il shall be the
duty Of the medical director, or chief medical Of
6eer, Of the army CORPS previous to march,
and previous to and in time OF action, or when
ever it may be necessary to use the ambulances,
to issue the proper orders to the captain for the
distribution and management Of the same, for
collecting the sick and wounded, and conveying
them to their destination. And it shall be the
duty of the captain faithfully and diligently to
execute such orders. And the officers Of the
ambulance corps, including the medical direc-
tor, shall make such reports, from time to time,
as may be required by the Secretary of War, the
Surgeon General, the medical director of the ar.
my, or the commanding officer of the army corps
in which they may be serving and all reports
to higher authority than the commanding officer
OF the army corps shall be transmitted through
the medical director Of the army to which such
army corps belongs.
Sec. 6. And be il further enacted, That the
hrst lieutenant assigned to the ambulance corps
for q division shall have complete control, under
the captain of his corps and the medical director
Of the army corps, of all the ambuanoes, medi-
cine, and other wagons, horses, mules and men
In that portion Of the ambulance corps. He
shall be the acting assistant qurtermaster for
that portion of the ambulance corps, and will re-
ceipt for and be responsible for all the property
belonging to il, aud be held responsible for any