Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

---

[78] would be “the increased pay of these officers, and how many of them would be increased.” Mr. Wilson replied, that the medical director of an army in the field consisting of two or more corps, would be increased from a major to a colonel, and so with a medical director of a military department where there were United States general hospitals containing four thousand beds and upward. Wherever there was an army consisting of more than one corps, the medical director would be increased in rank. Some of the directors of large armies, after being in service for a long while--three years--were simply majors, with the same rank and pay with which they entered the service, and a great many of our best surgeons were leaving the service. They had no opportunity for promotion. No service, no fidelity, brought them an increase of pay or any reward whatever. Many of them were leaving the service and returning home, and it was with the greatest difficulty that we were getting the necessary surgeons for the army; and unless some action was taken, a great many of our best surgeons would leave the service. It was in the power of a good surgeon to render immense service to the country, and to save thousands and tens of thousands of dollars in the army and in the large departments and hospitals. Mr. Hale opposed the passage of the bill, and demanded the yeas and nays, and they were ordered on its passage — yeas, twenty-five; nays, three. So the bill passed and was approved by the President on the twenty-fifth of February, 1865.

No. Lxxx.--Army Register.

In the House, on the eighteenth of February, Mr. Schenck, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported a joint resolution authorizing and requiring the Secretary of War in connection with the army register of 1865, to cause to be printed and published a full roster of all general, field, line, and staff-officers of volunteers who had been in the army during the rebellion. It was passed without a division.

In the Senate, the joint resolution was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs; and on the twenty-second of February it was reported back by Mr. Wilson with amendments. The first amendment was to strike out all after the word “required,” in the second line, to and including “sixty-five,” in line three, so that it would read: “That the Secretary of War be authorized and required to cause to be printed and published a full roster of all general, field, line, and staff-officers of volunteers.” The amendment was agreed to. The second amendment was after the word “States,” in the sixth line, to insert “at any time ;” so that the clause would read, “who have been in the army of the United States at any time.” The amendment was agreed to. The third amendment was after the word “rebellion,” in the sixth line, to insert the words, “including all informal organizations which have been recognized or accepted and paid by the United States.” The amendment was agreed to. The fourth amendment was to strike out in the tenth line, the word “fifty,” and insert in lieu of it, “twenty-five,” so that the clause would read, “an edition of twenty-five thousand copies.” The amendment was agreed to. The fifth amendment, was after the word “binding,” in the fifteenth line, to strike out the words, “and shall not in any case exceed one dollar per volume.” The amendment was agreed to, and the resolution as amended passed. The House concurred in these amendments, except the last one. The Senate, on motion of Mr. Wilson, receded from its fifth amendment. So the joint resolution was passed, and approved by the President on the second of March, 1865.

No. Lxxxi.--The Bill for the better Organization of the Subsistence Department.

In the House, on the fifteenth of December, 1864, Mr. Schenck, of Ohio, reported from the Committee on Military Affairs a bill for the better organization of the subsistence department, which was read twice and recommitted. On the eighteenth of February, 1865, Mr. Schenck reported back the bill with amendments, which were agreed to. The bill provided: That during the continuance of the rebellion, the Secretary of War might assign to each geographical military division, to each separate army in the field consisting of more than one army corps, to each military department, and to each principal subsistence depot, not exceeding ten in number, an officer of the subsistence department to act as chief commissary, and also an officer of the subsistence department as assistant in the office of the Commissary General of Subsistence, each of whom, while so assigned and acting, should have the rank, pay, and emoluments of a colonel of the subsistence department; and, in like manner, might assign, for purposes of inspection or other special duty in the subsistence department, commissaries of subsistence, not exceeding six in number, each of whom, while so assigned and acting, should have the temporary rank, pay, and emoluments of a lieutenant-colonel of the subsistence department; and to each army corps an officer of the subsistence department, to be chief commissary of the corps, with the like rank of lieutenant-colonel; and, in like manner, might assign to each division of two or more brigades a commissary, who, while so assigned and acting, should have the rank, pay, and emoluments of a major of the subsistence department: Provided, That when any one of said officers was relieved from such duty, his increased rank, pay, and emoluments, allowed because of such assignment, should cease, and he should return to his commissioned rank in the subsistence department: And provided further, That the officers authorized to be assigned by the act should be selected from the commissaries of subsistence who held commissions or rank in the volunteer service only.

The second section provided that the President might appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, as many commissaries of subsistence of volunteers, with the rank of captain