Next day the wounded were sent to the Point depot, the division train was brought up, and the hospital re-established on its previous site. On the evening of the 29th the Third Division assumed the position it had vacated the commence the Boydton move. After dark on the 31st the First Division was relieved from the trenches by General Gibbon's (Second) division. The First thus became a reserve to the others. It had orders to encamp in the neighborhood of the Southall house. This compelled the Second Division hospital to move, even had no change been rendered necessary by the position on the right taken up by the troops of its own command. It was moved accordingly to the house near Meade Station, which had in the meantime been vacated by the First Division hospital. To be within a reasonable distance of its command, the First Division, hospital had settled in an open space about half a mile in rear of the Deserted House. The position selected was good, an elevated sandy soil affording excellent natural drainage. During the interval elapsing between the termination of the movement by General Warren at the beginning of the month and the commencement of that on the 25th instant, which cultimated in the affair at the Boydton plank, the troops were in comparatively comfortable quarters in the fortifications in front of Petersburg. Police duties were everywhere well attended to. The bomb-proofs were commodious and clean, most of them being furnished with raised bed places and with one or more brick chimneys, which latter acted as efficient ventilators. The men were well furnished with underclothing and blankets, a lack of which during the previous month had been the cause of much discomfort and not a few cases of sickness. A comparison of this month's sick reports with those of September shows a decided decrease in the amount of sickness.

Corps sick rate for September (computed from regimental

monthly reports of sick) ................................... 52.42

Corps sick rate for October ................................ 39.00

Number of sick sent from field to depot hospital,

September .................................................. 1,564

Number of sick sent from field to depot hospital, October .. 991

And this, although over 400 of those sent away during this month were only slight cases, such as could not with propriety accompany the troops on the march, and although at the same time the average strength of the command was increased by 3,000. This improvement, however, seems only to have affected the Second and Third Divisions, the First Division presenting as heavy a sick rate as during September.

September.

Average Average nu Ratio of Deaths

strength mber on si sick per from

Command. during the ck report 1,000 men sickness

month. daily. present. in field

hospital.

First Division 5,821 337 57.90 6

Second 3,607 194 53.78 1

Division.

Third Division 7,205 418 58.00 1

Artillery 1,888 22 11.65

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Brigade.

Total corps. 18,521 971 52.42 8

CONTINUATION:

October.

Average Average Ratio of Deaths

strength number on sick per from

Command. present sick 1,000 men sickness

during the report present. in field

month. daily. hospital.

First Division 7,144 360 50.38 13

Second 4,338 146 33.62 3

Division.

Third Division 7,974 295 36.99 4

Artillery 2,072 39 13.99

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Brigade.

Total corps. 21,528 840 39.01 20

The greater sickness prevailing in the First Division is attributed to the large re-enforcements of new men which the command has received within the past two months. During the month the cases of serious