rear except those so seriously wounded as to be unable to walk. These last were at first hastily collected into little groups in hollows by the road side, which afforded protection against musketry; haversacks and full canteens were placed by them, and a medical officer left with each group. As soon as the line of battle ceased to advance, all the wounded were collected at four depots located in the woods by the side of the Todd's Tavern and Spotsylvania Court-House road, near the point of crossing of the Block house road. All the ambulances were absent, being engaged in conveying the wounded of the battle of the Wilderness to Fredericksburg, and much confusion and delay in the collection of the wounded occurred in consequence. Slightly wounded men, straggling over the country in every direction, except toward the front, while from 2 to 4 soldiers would leave the ranks with severely wounded men. The regular stretcher-bearers of the ambulance corps labored faithfully, but the number of wounded was so large, and the distance over which they had to be carried so great, that the evils above mentioned were not prevented. The medicine, hospital, and commissary wagons could not be brought up, as the roads were blocked with artillery and moving columns of troops. By 9 p. m., however, about 1,300 wounded of this corps had been collected, the hospital trains brought up, and 3,400 rations distributed. A large portion of the wounds were slight in character, and about 100 were self-inflicted. The Second Corps engaged the enemy on the Catharpin road during the afternoon, and had about 150 wounded, of whom 30 fell into the hands of the enemy; the remainder were brought off and made confortable at a temporary hospital established near Gray's house. The Sixth Corps had about 100 wounded cared for in its temporary hospital by nightfall. The want of ambulances was the same in the Second and Sixth Corps as in the Fifth, but as they had but few wounded, the evil results were not so great.

In order, as far as possible, to meet the emergency arising from the lack of ambulances, the following order was issued by the general commanding, after the state of affairs had been brought to his notice:

ORDERS.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

May 8, 1864 - 3.45 p. m.

All ambulances and spring wagons of every description whatsoever now in use at any headquarters or by any officer of this army, for the transportation of baggage, or for any other purpose, will immediately be turned over to the medical director for the transportation of the wounded. The empty wagons of the supply trains will be substituted for the ambulances and spring wagons above mentioned. It is expected that this order will be promptly complied with by every officer concerned.

By command of Major-General Meade:

S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

In accordance with the above order the spring wagons were turned over to the corps medical directors in the course of the evening, the Second Corps furnishing 16, the Fifth Corps 15, and the Sixth Corps 10. Fifteen spring wagons and ambulances turned over from general headquarters were kept together as a reserve train, under the orders of the medical director, to be used when and where they might be most needed. These spring wagons were a good substitute for ambulances, and were of great use in the