Numbers 38. Report of Surg. Thomas W. Fry, U. S. Army, Medical Director.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, U. S. FORCES,
Fort Henry, February 22, 1862.

The following is the official report of the killed, wounded, and missing of the Third Division of the army in the battle of Fort Donelson, on Saturday, the 15th day of January, 1862, so far as reported to me by brigade and regimental surgeons. Several regiments of the division remained at Fort Donelson, whose surgeons will no doubt report directly to you.*

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Recapitulation.

Killed. Wounded.

Commands. Officers. Enlisted Officers. Enlisted

men. men.

11th Indiana ... 4 2 27

31st Indiana ... 9 8 44

44th Indiana ... 3 1 31

17th Kentucky ... 4 ... 31

25th Kentucky 2 11 3 58

8th Missouri 1 6 1 39

Chicago Light ... ... ... 3

Artillery

Total 3 37 15 233

Continuation: Missing.

Commands. Officers. Enlisted men Aggregate.

11th Indiana ... ... 33

31st Indiana ... ... 61

44th Indiana ... ... 35

17th Kentucky ... ... 35

25th Kentucky ... 5 79

8th Missouri ... ... 47

Chicago Light ... ... 3

Artillery

Total ... 5 293

In making this report I take great pleasure in bearing testimony to the promptness, faithfulness, and ability with which Brigade Surgeon Keenon and the surgeons and assistants of this division of the army performed their duties. They followed their regiments into the midst of danger and exposed their lives to aid the wounded. Surg. J. C. Thompson and Asst. Surg. Clay Brown, of the Eleventh Indiana, and Surgeon Bailey and Assistant Surgeon Winnis, of the Eighth Missouri, were exposed to a most terrible fire from the enemy, having been ordered to follow their men into the field of battle by the medical director, H. S. Hewitt. The surgeons of this division generally complain of discourteous treatment on the part of the medical director. When manifesting an earnest solicitude for their wounded and making inquiries as to the time and manner of transportation and ultimate destination they were rudely and offensively repulsed without the desired information. They also complain that in the exercise of extra and arbitrary power they were deprived the privilege of attending their own men, of dressing their wounds, or attending them when taken to the boats. The report of such conduct is to me a matter of deep regret, and against such conduct I beg leave to protest.

In my opinion, which is sustained by all the surgeons with whom I have conversed, the removal of those on whom amputations and other severe operations had been performed was unwise and highly injudi-

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* Nominal list omitted.

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16 R R - VOL VII