Numbers 83.

Report of Surg. Jabez Perkins, Tenth Kentucky Infantry, Acting Medical Director.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH ARMY CORPS,
MEDICAL DIRECTOR'S OFFICE,

Chattanooga, October 1, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit the following report of field operations in the medical department of Twentieth Army Corps during the campaign that recently terminated in the battle of Chickamauga.

We left Stevenson, Ala., on the 2nd day of September last, with 105 available ambulances and 8 wagon loads of reserve medical and hospital supplies. Among these were 12 hospital tents entire, which I procured of the post quartermaster at Stevenson, our former supply having been exhausted in the organization of a general hospital at Tullahoma in pursuance of orders from the medical director of the department.

On the eve of starting from Stevenson an order was issued from corps headquarters, without my knowledge or consent, limiting the amount of medical and hospital supplies to be carried by each regiment to 500 pounds. On learning the fact I procured such modification of the order as permitted the regular hospital wagons, of which we had 11 in the corps, to be taken along with their contents unreduced, and also 1 additional wagon to each division for the transportation of such supplies as, in the judgment of the division medical directors, were most needed.

The First and Second Divisions crossed the Tennessee River at Caperton's Ferry, 4 miles from Stevenson, and the Third at Bridgeport, 12 miles above.

The former arrived at Valley Heady on September 4, at which place they were joined by the Third Division on the morning of September 10.

The command had just received orders to cross Lookout Mountain, and as an early engagement with the enemy was deemed probable, I ordered the sick to be left at Valley Head, where a wagon train was parked, and Colonel Post's brigade left as guard. Such cases as were likely to be protracted were subsequently sent by supply trains to Stevenson, and the remainder came forward with Colonel Post's brigade and joined their command at this place September 23.

On the morning of September 10 we ascended Lookout Mountain, crossed over into Shinbone Valley, and camped near Alpine, Ga.

On the 14th we recrossed Lookout Mountain and passed down Will's Valley to Stevens' Gap, where we again crossed the mountain and joined General Thomas' command on the 16th, at Pond Spring.

On the morning of the 19th the entire corps moved forward on the Rossville road, about 8 miles, in the direction of Chattanooga, where they were ordered into line of battle, preparatory to a general engagement, which opened on our left about 11 a. m.

In the disposition of troops the Twentieth Corps was divided, the Second Division being posted on the extreme left of our army and the First and Third on the right.