Today in History:

633 Series I Volume XLVI-I Serial 95 - Appomattox Campaign Part I

Page 633 Chapter LVIII. THE APPOMATTOX CAMPAIGN.

Monday, April 10, the bakery began to turn out soft bread of first-rate quality last night, and to-day was worked at the rate of 2,000 rations per diem. Provisions and straw were again obtained by foraging. If subsistence could not have been obtained by foraging, the sick and wounded must have suffered very much with hunger for a few days. This evening the Ninth Corps ambulances returned from the front, bringing about 200 wounded and sick; 150 hospital tent flies had arrived in wagons from Wilson's Station, so that we now felt easy on the subject of shelter.

Tuesday, April 11. There were now about 2,200 wounded and sick at Burke's Station, of whom about 1,600 belonged to the Army of the Potomac, about 220 to the Army of the James, about 180 to the Cavalry Corps, and about 200 were prisoners of war; all of them were well taken care of. The Confederate surgeons told me that their wounded were well cared for, and all of whom I inquired [and the number was considerable] uniformly told me, even in the warehouses, that they had experienced good care and satisfactory attention to their wants. The railroad cars came up to Burke's Station this morning for the first time, and preparations were immediately made to load them with wounded on their return to City Point. In this way about 1,450 wounded and sick were sent to the Depot Field Hospital at City Point to-day. The last train started at 5 p.m. The cars for the wounded were well bedded with straw, two days' rations were provided for the wounded, with attendants at the ratio of two per car, and an ample supply of medical officers to accompany them through to City Point. The Ninth Corps ambulance train was sent out to Harper's farm for some wounded cavalrymen who were reported to be there suffering for the want of the necessaries of life; it was accompanied by a wagon loaded with provisions.

Wednesday, April 12, sent away by railroad, at noon, about 600 sick and wounded to the Depot Field Hospital at City Point, provided for the same as those sent yesterday. This evacuated Burke's Station of all the wounded and the sick except about 150 rebels. They also would have been sent if the transportation by rail had been sufficient to do it. During the latter part of the day the Cavalry Corps ambulances arrived, and the Ninth Corps ambulances returned. They brought, altogether, about 250 wounded and sick; most off them were rebels. A number of sick and wounded were also received from other sources. The headquarters of the Army of the Potomac came down to Burke's Station about 3 p.m., and were established in its vicinity.

Thursday, April 13, sent to City Point to-day 450 wounded and sick, a majority of whom were rebels. This relieved us of all the sick and wounded then on hand who could be safely transported. Surg. H. Bendell, Eighty-sixth New York Volunteers, in charge of sub-depot field hospital, organized pursuant to the orders of the medical director dated April 3, 1865, arrived at Burke's Station this morning, accompanied by twenty-four assistant surgeons, with attendants, shelter, and ample supplies. In the course of the day he established his hospital, and put it in operation as an advanced post of the Depot Field Hospital at City Point, and communicating with it daily by railroad. Since the cars began to run to Burke's Station up to this time, about 2,500 wounded and sick, belonging to the armies of the Potomac and James, to the Cavalry Corps, and to the enemy, were sent to City Point by railroad; of this number it was estimated that 500 were sick and 2,000 wounded. These men had been promptly received and provided for at Burke's Station by the medical department alone, without bustle


Page 633 Chapter LVIII. THE APPOMATTOX CAMPAIGN.