No. 3. reports of Lieut. Cot. Edward D. Kittoe, U. S. Army, medical inspector.
Hdqrs. Military Division of the Mississippi, In the Field, Big Shanty, June 11, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of wounded since the commencement of operations at Tunnel Hill, Ga., up to the present date:
Wounded. | |
Department of the Cumberland | 5,069 |
Department of the Tennessee | 562 |
Department of the Ohio | 330 |
Total | 5,961 |
Edwd. D. Kittoe, Medical Inspector, U. S. Army. Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman
, Comdg. Military Division of the Mississippi.
, Comdg. Military Division of the Mississippi.
Hdqrs. Military Division of the Mississippi, Atlanta, Ga., September 10, 1864.
General: I have the honor to report that during the recent campaign resulting in the capture of Atlanta, the health of the troops has been remarkably good.
This is a noteworthy fact, when the severe labor and privations endured by most of your army during the autumn and part of the winter are taken into consideration.
For more than four months on short rations, but poorly housed and badly clothed, with no appreciable variation in diet, scurvy naturally prevailed to some extent in most regiments; in all a marked tendency to this disease was observable, and at one time apprehensions were felt that very serious loss would occur from this cause.
The symptoms were mucji abated and modified by the abundant supply of blackberries and green corn which the men obtained on their march, yet there are still remnants of the disease, and great care should be exercised to eradicate it by improved and more varied diet.
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The numerical force of the army was materially reduced at the very commencement of operations by the necessity of getting rid of a large number of worthless recruits and substitutes that had been sent to the army during the winter.
Our loss by death from disease and wounds has been small considering the extended time of the campaign and the severe fighting that has occurred almost daily for four months. The recoveries from wounds have been rapid and favorable, and the number returned to duty has been greater than usual.
Field hospitals have been promptly established and well supplied and attended.
The ambulance service has been well rendered, although not as perfect as it would have been had the system directed by General Orders, No. 106,1 been carried out and enforced, yet it has been more prompt and efficient than in any former campaign in which I have had the honor to serve.
The wounded have been brought from the field quickly and carefully, and instances of neglect have been of rare occurrence.
Medical officers have been attentive and untiring in the discharge of their duties, and not a few have lost their lives from disease contracted in the line of their duty, and some from the shot of the enemy.
I am proud to bear witness to the general good conduct and faithful service of the members of the medical staff.
The system of medical supply trains has been tried during this campaign, and has proved eminently useful, and demonstrated the fact that the different departments when properly administered are able to supply the wants of an army even under adverse circumstances without any extraneous agencies.
In fine, the operations of the medical department during the campaign have been highly satisfactory so far as I have been able to observe.
It has not been possible to make any regular or systematic inspections while the army has been in such constant motion, but an opportunity is now afforded for a thorough performance of that duty.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Edwd. D. Kittoe, Medical Inspector, U. S. Army. Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman
, U. S. Army, Comdg. Military Division of the Mississippi
, U. S. Army, Comdg. Military Division of the Mississippi
[Indorsement.]
Hdqrs. Military Division of the Mississippi, Atlanta, Ga., September 12, 1864.
This report has been examined, and I take pleasure in bearing testimony to the general intelligence and good conduct of our medical officers, and the foresight displayed in providing for the necessities of service.
The commissary department is instructed to provide all the antiscorbutics for which we have the means of transportation.
This report will be forwarded to the War Department, along with my official report of the campaign of Atlanta.
W. T. Sherman, Major-General, Commanding.
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Inclosure.
Tabular statement of sick and wounded in the Military Division of the Mississippi for the period embraced between May 1 and September 6, 1864.
Command. | Received in Hospital. | Total. | Sent to the rear. | Returned to duty. | Died from— | ||
Sick. | Wounded. | Disease. | Wounds. | ||||
Army of the Cumberland: | |||||||
Fourth Army Corps | 13,456 | 5,852 | 19,308 | 8,716 | 10,301 | 17 | 416 |
Fourteenth Army Corps | 7,461 | 3,973 | 11,434 | 7,196 | 3,031 | 88 | 250 |
Twentieth Army Corps | 15,611 | 5,375 | 20,986 | 8,756 | 11,106 | 63 | 374 |
Cavalry | 6,625 | 359 | 6,984 | 1,516 | 5,425 | 39 | 27 |
Army of the Tennessee: | |||||||
Fifteenth Army Corps | 3,346 | 3,312 | 6,658 | 5,062 | 928 | 44 | 251 |
Sixteenth Army Corps | 4,233 | 1,203 | 5,436 | 2,515 | 2,434 | 24 | 181 |
Seventeenth Army Corps | 1,485 | 1,483 | 2,968 | 1,887 | 862 | 38 | 181 |
Army of the Ohio: | |||||||
Twenty-third Army Corps | 0 | 0 | 6,146 | 4,656 | 1,288 | 107 | 38 |
Total | 52,217 | 19,557 | 79,920 | 40,304 | 32,675 | 420 | 1,718 |
Edwd. D. Kittoe, Medical Inspector, U. S. Army. Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman
, Comdg. Military Division of the Mississippi.
, Comdg. Military Division of the Mississippi.