On the 25th [24th] of May an order was issued by Lieutenant-General Grant, adding the Ninth Corps to the Army of the Potomac, and Surg. J. E. MacDonald, U. S. Volunteers, the medical director of the corps, reported to this office for instructions. An inspection of the medical department of this corps by Asst. Surg. J. S. Billings, U. S. Army, revealed the following facts: This corps had moved from Annapolis on the last of April, 1864, before any organization had been effected; had marched and fought almost constantly since that time. New troops had been joining it almost daily, and it was very difficult to ascertain even the number of men in the command. The means of transportation possessed by the corps was entirely too small even to furnish the rations and ammunition required, and of course none could or would be spared for the medical department.

The greater number of the regimental surgeons had drawn a full three months' regimental supply at Annapolis, which had to be left behind, and the only medical supplies with the corps were contained in the hospital knapsacks, in a few medicine chests, and panniers which were carried by sufferance in the wagons appropriated to officers' baggage, which were almost always inaccessible and useless, and in twelve Dunton medicine wagons. The organization of the ambulance corps had been commenced, but was still very imperfect. The number of ambulances required by law had been obtained in Washington, but many of them were broken and badly in need of repair, the greater part of the stretchers were missing, very few had water-kegs, and no hospital stores were carried in the ambulance boxes. Citizens had been hired as drivers for the ambulances, but the majority of them had deserted at Fredericksburg, and their places filled by the stretcher-bearers. The details of stretcher-bearers were very incomplete, and many of them already detailed seemed to have been selected on account of their worthlessness in other situations. The stretcher-bearers did not follow the regiments into battle, but remained with the ambulances, the evil results of which can readily be appreciated. Means of transportation being wanting, no hospital tents, stores, or supplies could be carried; a few tents had been borrowed, and the Dunton wagons furnished all their supplies. The medical staff of the field division hospitals had been arranged on the same basis as that of the rest of the army. All other medical officers were ordered to remain within 300 yards of the line of battle at all times.

It was not possible to supply means of transportation at this time, and consequently useless to furnish tents or stores, but requisitions were ordered to be prepared that they might be furnished as soon as a more permanent base of supplies should be reached. The proper organization of the ambulance corps was also urged forward as fast as possible, but much delay occurred in procuring the necessary details, and nearly a month passed away before they were complete.

The first train of wounded, of which Dr. Phelps was in charge, reached Port Royal, as has been before stated, on the evening of the 25th. The steamer Hugh Jenkins, loaded with hospital supplies, under charge of Assistant Surgeon Jaquett, U. S. Army, had reached that point a few hours before, as had also a large load of stores belonging to the Sanitary Commission. Colonel Cuyler had also arrived, bringing with him a number of medical officers, who were immediately employed in dressing the wounded. No buildings had been prepared for their reception, and as it was raining heavily it was thought best to leave them in the wagons and ambulances