Gen^l Polk

                       

Sir

                                    I have the honor to report the result of my trip to the Hospitals on, and adjacent to, the M & O R.R. and that it may make it plain be made lucid it will be necessarily require an elaborate report statement of what I saw, and information recorded directly from the surgeons in charge of Hospitals. I have also to state what seems to me to be a the dereliction of rail road managers, in reference to the transmission of troops, and army stores.

 

            As ordered I started from the depot at Corinth on Monday evening the 6^th in charge of the sick of the 154^th Sr Reg Tenn. Vol. for the Hospital at Columbus Miss. the train consisted of 23 cars, a portion of which were freighted with troops and ammunition the remainder with sick soldiers. on this train we had a conductor & fireman and engineer when we pulled away from the depot, the engineer declined to move the train unless he could get a fireman, a man sighted car repairer in the employ of the company was sent as fireman, no brakeman. the train ran down to Boonville by 8 O'clock and lay over all night. when asked why they stopped, the answer was that they had lost their schedule time and would have to lay over until next day to get it again. on Tuesday morning at 7³⁰ A.M. we started and ran two stations more to Guntown and lay over again until 12 O'clock to let the passenger train pass. this done, we proceeded to Okalona at which place we arrived at 3 O'clock P.M. here we were necessarily detained by the accidental running off of a freight train destroying a bridge and trestling which required twelve hours to repair. The sick had not been provided with provisions as should have been, and the fact being made known to the good and patriotic citizens they brought in cooked rations and many delicacies to the sick men, every thing that could be done for their comfort was dutifully done by them. at 3³⁰ on the 30^th we / started on again and arrived at Artesia the branch road to Columbus at 12³⁰ at night. here we lay until 7³⁰ on the 1^st of May. we arrived at Columbus at 9³⁰ A.M. and found no preparation to receive the sick in the Hospital at this place there were according to D^r Pim's statement 1800 patients. he soon set himself about making preparations for those under my charge and others. the following is a statement given me by D^r Pim, from memory. No purveyor, a very indifferent supply of medicines owing to the absence of a purveyor at that post, their supplies had to be replenished from druggists in the town. no hospital stores, drew rations from the post Commissary, were passing negroes from the planters as nurses. at 2³⁰ P.M. I left for Macon at which place I arrived at 11 P.M. after breakfast the 2^d inst. I proceeded to the Hospital when D^r Hill made the following statement, 303 men in Hospital 35 in private houses, were making arrangements to house 3 or 4 hundred men, had an ample corps of nurses, fair supply of medicines by replenishing from druggists of the town. 180 mattresses, 200 bunks, 2 stoves and one bake oven, and seven hundred dollars commutation money. drew some rations from Commissary. 3 assistant surgeons. at 9 O'clock I proceeded to the depot to await for the train for Lauderdale Springs. at 9 P.M. the train arrived and off we went at 3 A.M. I arrived at the station one mile from the Springs towards which I immediately bent my steps. every building was filled to its utmost capacity, the porches were filled, and many were bivouacking under trees. I immediately caused the House Surgeon D^r Gullett to be aroused. he ordered that I should be shown into his apartment, when he made the following statement. 1300 patients in hospital, 50 at depot, 120 cots, making bunks, 150 mattresses 40 bed sacks, no medicines, 4 days rations, ample corps of nurses, 8 Surg^ns & Asst, 3 employed Surg^ns, 3 stoves, 30 sheets and that they were not able to feed all the sick, owing / to the want of stoves and cooking utensils and that rations were issued to the convalescent who cooked for themselves as best they could. no coverlets, no blankets, there were a few bedsteads belonging to the proprietor of the springs that had been chartered. the post surgeon who has charge of the springs stays remains at Macon 50 miles off, and in my humble judgment is of but little service to that Hospital. It is D^r Gullett's request and desire that a post surgeon be appointed for the Lauderdale Hospital or some one sent there who has power to contract for and get such things as the sick and convalescent may require. The general condition and administration of all the Hospitals I visited seemed to be good. I omitted to say anything in regard to the hospital at Okalona under the charge of D^r Caldwell and is claimed to belong to Gen^l Braggs Corps Division. at this place they had 700 patients and were making preparation to accommodate in all 2000 or 2500. Dr. C. complains greatly at the bad management of the rail road in not furnishing him lumber to complete his buildings

 

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