&c. The washing of the hospital was no small item, amounting to 6,000 pieces per week. A consolidated report of the hospital for the months of June and July is herewith furnished.

Having been absent upon duty from the army from July 26 to August 4, 1864 (Surg. J. T. Ghiselin, U. S. Army, acting as medical director), I have no personal knowledge of the incidents and dispositions attending the explosion of the mine upon the 30th of July.

Consolidated summaries of the weekly and monthly reports of sick and wounded are herewith forwarded. They are necessarily incomplete, especially for the months of May and June, inasmuch as during an active campaign the data for the reports must be obtained almost exclusively from the records of the field hospitals. The record of the field hospitals embrace all the severely wounded who require ambulance transportation from the field, but very many of the slighter cases go directly to the depot hospital if established, and within a day's march. The number who thus straggle back is usually between 10 and 20 per cent. of the entire number wounded. These consolidated reports, however, show several facts of interest, of which the following may be mentioned as among the chief: The ratio of the number of officers wounded during the month of May was 22 per cent. of the number present, being somewhat greater than that of the enlisted men. The probable cause of this difference has already been referred to in the account of the battle of the Wilderness. The ratio of sick increased steadily throughout this period, as is shown by the following statement:

Ratio of-

Month Sick to Average Officers Enlisted

aggregate number on sick men sick

strength daily sick

report to

aggregate

strength

Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent.

May 11.41 2.03 9.39 11.48

June 14.89 2.62 13.03 14.96

July 27.10 4.55 17.46 27.58

The depot field hospitals of this army have been, I am confident, superior to any heretofore attained, accommodating at times 7,000 inmates; those at City Point had capacity for nearly 10,000 in summer. As winter approaches log buildings, 50 feet long and 20 wide, are being substituted for tents, roofed with boards and felting. The streets will be graded and graveled, and sidewalks corduroyed to obviate inconvenience from mud. The ambulance is so light a vehicle, so portable and swift, that I am persuaded more should be permitted to advance with troops, and to accompany cavalry. It is probable that a few might be lost in unusual exigency, but it is better to accept the risk (though I believe it inconsiderable), rather than a deficiency. There is wisdom in the ancient institution (of Leo VI) which declares: "If you desire that your soldiers should go willingly to battle, the greatest care must be had for attending to the