Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 11.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[461] arrangement which, when completed, will meet all demands.of sanitary law, with no heavy expenses. Should the army of occupation advance toward Middle Florida, there will be an easy and quick communication with the delightful seaside of the old Spanish colony.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

sir: In your report of the battle of Olustee, you mention having telegraphed Surgeon Smith, in charge of general hospital, Jacksonville, to forward you “lint, bandages, and stimulants,” and to “call on Sanitary Commission.” I desire you to inform me why your medical officers were not supplied with these highly essential articles before going into the engagement; and, as the chief medical officer, the Medical Director of the District of Florida, knowing the troops were about to be engaged, what provision did you make for having your medical officers furnished with everything required for the comfort of the wounded? Did you know Surgeon Smith could not procure the articles you wanted, without calling on the Sanitary Commission?

You will also state what “aid and assistance” the Sanitary Commission afforded you, and, to the best of your knowledge, the articles, and quantities, furnished by them.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

sir: Having mentioned in my report of the battle of Olustee, that I telegraphed Surgeon Smith, in charge of general hospital, Jacksonville, to “forward lint, bandages and stimulants,” and to “call on Sanitary Commission,” you desire me only to-day (April third) to inform you “why my medical officers were not supplied with these highly essential articles before going into the engagement, and, as the chief medical officer, the Medical Director of the District of Florida, knowing the troops were about to be engaged, what provision did I (you) make to have my (your) medical officers furnished with everything required for the comfort of the wounded?” adding: “Did you know Surgeon Smith could not procure the articles you wanted, without calling on the Sanitary Commission?” and directing me to state “what aid and assistance the Sanitary Commission afforded me, and, to the best of my knowledge, the articles and quantities furnished by them?”

Regarding the information so desired to be strictly official, and too far from any necessity of an excuse on my part, I beg leave, in answer to the several questions, to state the following facts, conforming to and explaining my report: That up to the engagement at Olustee, our hospital arrangements in the field, as well as at the fort, had remained a mere consolidated affair of regiments in supplies.

Returning on February fourth, by steamer Fulton, from leave of absence, and, reporting for duty to the Medical Director, I was expected to proceed to St. Augustine, Florida, and reassume charge of the convalescent hospital. To this end I had already procured transportation, when I was recalled from the boat, and put to the alternative of relieving Surgeon S. W. Gross, United States Volunteers, on Folly and Morris Islands, or to be ready at once for an expedition (probably) into Florida. Expressing myself thankful, because of regarding it a favor, I declared my preference for the expedition, and was, on my request, by written order, directed to report to Brigadier-General T. Seymour, a general, from personal acquaintance, possessing the highest degree of confidence and esteem. Without delay, (nine o'clock P. M.,) reporting, I was ordered to call in the morning for instructions, and received, on so doing, on the morning of the fifth the wishes of the general, that, if possible, two ambulances to each regiment of the command be furnished, and nothing be wanting in supplies. Accordingly, I addressed the Medical Director of the department, and was answered in these words: “I shall attend to that — will be there myself,” and “the Cosmopoli tan can bring everything.” Thus positively assured that the Medical Director would personally see to it, I contented myself with procuring a list of the regiments under orders for the expedition, and of getting some information as to the qualities of any more prominent surgeons — an information, as far as it would go, readily given by Surgeon Craven, the Medical Purveyor.

In the course of the day the positive assurance that everything would be attended to by the Medical Director began to lose somewhat of its strength, from the direct inquiry of Surgeon Swift, “how many ambulances there were at Beaufort, South Carolina, and how many I had already?” The question “How many I had already?” ran in direct line against the assurance given me. The question, “How many there were at Beaufort?” I justly thought could better and more accurately be answered from the reports of my successor, the Chief of General Hospitals there, than from any “guess,” by a recollection since the month of September; and my doubts were certainly not dispelled by the circumstance, that when, by transport General Hunter, six ambulances from Beaufort had arrived, they were stripped and empty, and minus their horses — an oversight which, to remedy, the transport had to return to Beaufort, with my respectful caution: “be sure to not forget the harness.” Late in the evening the transport re-arrived at the Hilton Head wharf, and I ascertained then the neglect, that neither driver nor forage had come along; that the horses had not been fed or even watered, nor had any