Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 7.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[121] clean, raised beds, and the men in a very comfortable condition; but few severe cases; camp was well policed and neatly laid out; surgeons active and efficient; good nurses; clean, well-ventilated tents; every thing in good order, but in want of supplies.

The hospital of the Sixth corps was established on a new plan — the men being kept in the ambulances, ready for immediate transportation. This plan was still an experiment, and had not been fully tested, but so far as one could judge from observation and the experience and statements of surgeons in charge, should deem it a good one, and well worthy a more extended trial. Ambulances were well parked on a gently sloping piece of ground, kept in good order, and the men seemed to be very comfortably situated, except that they needed more blankets.

We supplied each of these and some of the regimental hospitals from our stock, and at a time when there were no other, means of their obtaining the much-needed articles. The issues at Fairfax were to such an extent as to enable us to pack nearly all the remaining stock in two wagons, and send one nearly empty with the mule train to Washington to be reloaded.

Thursday morning visited headquarters, and was there advised to send empty wagons and mules to Washington, to start with loaded wagons, and follow in the train of the reserve artillery. . . . Moved with train and camped at night on top of a hill this side of Edwards's Ferry, placed a guard over our stores and horses, and lay down to rest, most of us having been on the road thirty-one hours without food or sleep, except such as we could catch during the halts.

Saturday, moved on to Poolesville, where we arrived at ten A. M. This point having been designated as a good one for an issue-station, a room was engaged, and before the wagons were unloaded two requisitions came in, the surgeons being very glad to get something for their men. All stores in the town were closed by order of the General Commanding, and the Commission was the only source from which they could obtain any thing.

For the purpose of keeping our stock up, another wagon-load was sent up from Washington Friday afternoon, to intercept our train at Poolesville, Dr. McDonald having informed us from Fairfax that he should make that point. This wagon succeeded in getting through safely, although the road was very insecure, a long government train being seized a few hours after our wagon had passed a certain point in the road by a body of Stuart's cavalry. It reached Poolesville, accompanied by Major Bush and Mr. Clampitt, Saturday afternoon. One wagon was then returned to Washington for repairs. Sunday morning the army and trains moving on rapidly, our stores were again packed, and the wagons proceeded together to Frederick, arriving there the same evening.

It will be remembered that just previous to this time, before our forces had crossed the Potomac, the enemy had attacked and routed General Milroy's command at Winchester, and the forces at Harper's Ferry and vicinity had been withdrawn into the intrenchments on Maryland Heights, where they were in some respects beleaguered.

“On the eighteenth of June,” writes Dr. L. H. Steiner, our Chief Inspector with the army of the Potomac, “I received a telegram from Dr. C. F. H. Campbell, Surgeon U. S. Vols., Medical Director, General Kelley's command, stating that he needed ‘lint, stimulants, and bandages.’ This telegram was sent in answer to an inquiry made by me, whether I could aid him. Securing the use of a wagon and mule team from Alfred F. Brengle, of Frederick, I despatched, June nineteenth, quite a large quantity of brandy, sherry, whiskey, chocolate, condensed milk, tea, lint, and bandages, to Maryland Heights. James Gall, Jr., relief agent, accompanied the stores, and Mr. Brengle drove the team. They reached their destination safely. Mr. Gall remained on the Heights with his stores. Mr. Brengle was seized by some of the enemy's cavalry on his return, his team and wagons were confiscated, and himself seized as a prisoner, and sent to Richmond. He still remains a prisoner.”

The menacing attitude of the enemy, pointing toward another invasion of Maryland, and possibly of Pennsylvania, necessitated a rapid concentration of an opposing force in its front. The President called for one hundred thousand militia for this purpose. The first troops under this call left New-York on the seventeenth June. In anticipation of the accumulation of a large body of troops in the neighborhood of Harrisburgh, I despatched, on the seventeenth, Dr. Wm. F. Swalm, Inspector of the Sanitary Commission, with Mr. Isaac Harris, relief agent, to that point. They arrived at Harrishurgh before any troops, and made diligent preparation to lend such assistance as might be required. They remained on the ground till the enemy had re-crossed the Potomac into Virginia, and the militia had been recalled to their several States. They advanced with our advancing columns to Carlisle, Shippensburgh, Chambersburgh, and Boonsborough, visiting camps and hospitals, and pushing forward such extra governmental supplies as were found wanting. The accompanying reports exhibit the activity, and the relief afforded by Dr. Swalm and Mr. Harris to the hurriedly constructed hospital organizations of the militia forces.

The main body of the enemy having crossed the Potomac near Williamsport, about the twenty-seventh of the month, the design and direction of the movement began to be apparent. Our own army was at this time in the vicinity of Frederick City, Maryland, and was moving northward, as rapidly as possible, to meet the equally rapid advance of the opposing forces.

Our Chief Inspector, Dr. Lewis H. Steiner, was at Frederick. Dr. Alexander McDonald had joined him. The wagons of the Commission, which had followed in the train of the army, had reached