Year: 1862

plies for his division and who has in his hospital large
number Of sick requiring his constant personal attention.
applies the proper officer for hospital His
QUESTION is in all respects regular except that he has
forgotten or neglected 10 got II counorsgned by tho
general commanding his brigade. II Is, therefore,
handed back him for correction He returns 10 camp
Alter spending at least another day in pursuit OF this
officer he succeeds In finding him, in getting access To
him, gaining his attention. and obtaining his approval
and the required signature He devoes another day TO
another expedition to headquarters with his wagon for
the transportation Of the stove and presents his requs
on amended. The name of the brgadier general ap
pended TO il Is well known. But the requison Is still
detective The general has hastily subscribed his name
the proper place upon the printed blank, but has neg
ected to append his title For this reason, the
geon given understand the stove cannot be issued
and he goes back TO camp without 1t TO spend two
three days more in pursuit OF the general


whether the sick men in this regiment sustained Sc
rous harm from the absence OF the surgeon,
for want of the sove is needless to inquire They
certainly may have suffered fatally.


QUALIFICATION OF SURGEONS.


The commission report that about seveneghths OF the
surgeons arc Of fair qualifications. There notable
exceptions however to this general rule Of competence
Tuo surgeons confessed that until they supplied scih
Instruments By the sorernmen they had sen, am
puating knife But the average grade OF qualifications
founded both scientific attainment and practical expe
rience, is reasonably high


The commission complain and with good reason, that
the government docs not give sufficient encouragement TO
surgeons the army, in the of promotion change
Of locality and means Of acquiring information


TRANSPORT ALTON.


Transportation for the Medical Of the army
present very deficient, irregular and bad Of its kind
and should be improved and systematized. Instances
have been crediby reported 10 the Commission in which
sick and dying men have been packed together in cars
and canal boats and detained for hours on their way in
a manner that (unless IL from unavoidable acci
den only be characterized shocking and nhunan
sdcred as conveyance for the sick and wounded or as


transport wagon too bad to be continued In its place
several additional fourwheeled ambulances should be
given each regiment three four horse ters OF the
form shown in Dcafelds report on European armies,
figures IS to 70, pending better invention, and
supply Of pack mules with hampers as wagons will often
be impeded broken and rendered npractcable in the
rough roads Rues streams and sloughs, constantly met
in our Southern States


DISTRIBUTION OF NECEssARIEs.


Tho distribution Of stores clothing, bedding &C., to
the hospitals and occasionally and special emergencies
(as after the engagement at Balls Bluff soldiers in
the field has now become recognized function of tho
commission II assumed with the loss reluctance that
some central agency indispensable to prevent dis
tressing Of the supplies which tho loyal women of
soldiers Of one regiment were found to be over supplied
and throwing away the surplus or barerng for liquor
while the hospital Of some neghboring regiment was
without beds and its patients without change Of cloth


The commission has, therefore, for some months past,
required among the soldiers Of every portion Of the
army ali supplies, especially Of hospital stores, which


~ 0 socstes that are WORKING for the in
every Northern city, town, and village


These supplies have beon forwarded to IL IN large


Tho following startling facts paed no canarasni-


RESERVE STOCK OF SUPPLIES.


The reserve of the disposal OF the commission
i still smaller than it should be. The demand caused by
the comparatively tring engagement at Balls Bluff
austed its supply of various articles urgently required
and obliged it TO purchase what was still needed in the
shops Of Washington. Had this 5d9ls been fooeced by
q general ddrGice on had general engagement on the PO
onac taken place, is ally certon that many hundred,
hospital SUPPLIES ard medicines Neither government, nor
the commission nor the shops OF Washington could have
furnished onequarter part OF what would have been re-
uuired, especially IL national victory had thrown the
enenys wounded the hands Of the government II is
true that government could have telegraphed to Balti
more Philadelphia and New York for additional supplies
but these could not probably have been obtained
siderable quantity for several days anu only ortyegh
hours elapsed before their receipt hundreds Of wounded
would have died from mere want OF medicine bed.
ding ami bandages.


INsurFICIENCY OF GOVERNMENT SUPPLIES ON HAND.
The commission feels that the duty assigned it by the
War Department requires it to protest, as it has already
protested against the grossly inadequate provision for
the contingency OF general action which certainly ex.
believes still to exist.


To illustrate the of this deficiency it only
necessary say that the Medical Bureau Obliged
call tho commission to supply lint and bandages for
few wounded brought into hospital after Of the
petty skrmshes that occurred in september last.


We must remember that the experience Of foreign
armies shows that, after we'll contested battle this
scale, must count on having, at the very least from
twenty thirty thousand men crying to US for relief
from agony.


The commission close their report with the following
vary just remarks


The object had in view by the commission can be eff
fcctualy accomplished only BY the direct action o
commission only advise. The cause our armies have
defend il alone dearer to tho people than those
who have suffer it's defence The strength and
bty the army cannot be sacrificed to the Of its
sick and wounded The sick and wounded should DO
necessity but all the more should they be supplied with
whatever mitigation OF suffering military necessities
leave possible And these should be furnished them
as If a hard master driving bargain with them
az the Communication Of board contract but the
love and pity Of mothers wives sweehearts and sisters
we're exercised with the far seeing Providence holiness
ingenuity tact and industry of true military general
shp-surgeon gencraiship


The duty Of guarding against the defeat Of our armies
by disease needs be Undertaken earnestly vigil.
lanty with as liberal policy, AMI with rs resoute do
termination, as any other military duty.


TO secure this result the commission Is convinced that
heher place needs be accorded the medical staff in the
organization Of the army It's relations with all depart
aud all ranks, as well rs with the government it.
self needs % be intimate confidential and inhu-
entail


Tho commission has no fear that its motives will be
mi.construed its words perverted In the life struggle
nation, sof, speaking of real dangers and over
sidcrateness is u crime.


Whether tho great tide Of the spirit Of war which now
sbmerges our land shall he allowed to quietly subside
whether tho struggle in which arc preparing to
gage shall continue long AZ TO establish in US the habits
OF thought and OF life OF military nation, matters little
IL natters much that whatever betide us, remain
true 10 the central idea OF nations life that army
be one with our People and that accept whatever the
Almighty sets bsforc as our duty oourageouey, pa
tientiy and with mutual hcirfulness.


The members Of the commission, deeply CRATE
ful for the honored confidence which has con.
stitgted 1t important an artery OF the pco-
PIES love to the peoples army, desire nothing
so much az that by sufficient enlargement and nvigo
ration Of the proper departments they may be relieved
OF the duties which they have undertaken.


while however, their beloved government can with
ntfnta In " no
Of the public beraty they able to offer, they
their Of the devoted good will with which they
remain ut It's disposal.


The commission pay most heartfelt and generous tri
buto to the dsintorescd and patriotic efforts put forth by
the noble women Of the land encourage and comfort
the bravo volunteers. Who read without emotion
The folowinga II is given in an appendix


VOLUNTEER ARMY SUPPLIES.


hardly just to let this report go forth to the public
without q more distinct reference 10 the deop and


rnsolta and abiding snirit Of nairntism fha