are enlisted to join their regiments. Hundreds of recruits have joined this army lately who have never been vaccinated. It is notoriously unsafe to travel over any railroad in the country at the present day unprotected.

The brigade of General Hamilton is in General Banks' division. As soon as the inspection of the few remaining commands in this vicinity is completed an inspector will be sent to that brigade.

I have written this report before I am able to communicate all the information required in your instructions, because the exigency seemed urgent. The inspections will be pressed forward, and the results communicated as rapidly as possible.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,.

CHAS. S. TRIPLER,

Surgeon and Medical Director Army of the Potomac.

Brigadier General S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac.

[Appendix L.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Medical Director's Office, January 4, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the sanitary condition of the Army of the Potomac, deduced from the report received at this office for the months of October and November:

This army having been hastily assembled, and its medical officers of all grades appointed from civil life, and necessaria without military experience, it has been o easy task to collect the proper reports. up to the month of October but a small proportion of the regiments made reports, and few of those received were made out with sufficient accuracy to be considered useful or reliable. As the medical officers learn more of their duties, I am happy to say that greater punctuality is observed in this respect. I received for the month of October reports from 129 regiments, 7 battalions, 14 batteries, and 8 general hospitals. The aggregate strength of the forces from which these reports were received is 116,763. Of these 38,248 were under treatment during the month in the field and general hospitals; 27,983 were returned to duty; 295 died, and 7,443 remained under treatment at the end of the month; 510 were discharged on surgeon's certificate of disability. These men never should have been enlisted; they were simply impositions upon the Government, and were received through the carelessness or incompetency of the recruiting or inspecting officers. The same remarks may apply to these who will be presently notices as having been discharged in November. The ratio of the sick remaining at the end of the month to the whole force was 6.07 per cent. The ration of deaths is 3.03 per cent. per annum.

For the month of November I have reports from 156 regiments, 6 battalions, 20 batteries, and 8 general hospitals. From the division commanded by General Dix I have no reports.

The aggregate strength of the forces from which I have received reports is 142,577. Of these, 47,836 have been under treatment in the field and general hospitals, 35,915 of whom have been returned to duty, and 281 have died; 9,281 remained under treatment at the end of the month; 618 have been discharged upon surgeons' certificates of disability. The number remaining is considered the constant diminution of force due to sickness. This is 6.5 per cent. Of these, however, more than one-half are probably capable of taking the field, and would do so .