Benjamnin F. Butler, Butler's Book: Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin Butler

“ [892] to go around to the ford, and that will take you quite two hours.” That aid was Captain Martin, who was a volunteer. I turned to Kensel and said: “My personal staff are all absent as you see. It is very important that that order shall reach Gillmore at once. The chances are very great that Martin will be killed.” Tearing the written duplicate from my despatch book, I continued: “Will you please take this order, and follow Martin?” He took it without a word except to say, “Good by, General,” and was soon lost to my sight in the fog. Fortunately both orders got through. Kensel died in command of a military post as a major of artillery several years after the war.

My quartermaster was a volunteer, Capt. Paul R. George, of whom I can say no more words of commendation than I have already said. He died in 1864.

My commissary was my brother, of whom I see no occasion to speak further.

My surgeon in this department was my neighbor and family physician, Dr. Gilman Kimball, one of the ablest and most skilful surgeons of our State.

While I was at Annapolis, I found it necessary to establish hospitals, meaning to make an extensive depot hospital for the sick soldiers who would be forwarded to Washington through Annapolis. I called upon the surgeon-general to furnish me a surgeon for that purpose, and was told that none could be spared, and that I must furnish myself. I called upon Doctor Kimball, who put aside his most lucrative practice, and came down there to serve his country. When I left the Department of Annapolis he accompanied me to Fortress Monroe to see to it that my hospitals were properly organized. The army hospitals there, being only for two or at most three companies of regular troops, would not answer for the sick from the ranks of fifteen thousand men. As soon as his work in organizing the hospital service there was fully performed, he returned home to his practice. When I came back to Lowell in command of the Department of New England, as it was known that I should leave that department in the course of a few months, he accepted service again temporarily in order to aid the cause. His services were invaluable to me because he taught me what a hospital should be, and the necessity of my giving active and personal attention to the