Yates and a large number of the Company A, Third U. S. Colored Artillery (Heavy), also all river guards stationed in the neighborhood, rendering all the assistance they possibly could in providing temporary shelter for those who were suffering from being scalded and bruised more than others, building fires, giving blankets, &c. The field officer of the day (Captain D. C. Mooney) informed me that he or somebody else (I cannot distinctly remember) had sent for whisky. I then sent for the senior surgeon of the fort, not knowing that he had been notified by the field officer of the day, who soon made his appearance and performed the duties of his office. He sent to the city for ambulances to remove the rescued, and after seeing that I could do no more for the suffering, I retired. Lieutenant Copeland, your aide-de-camp, has worked in conjunction with others to the best of his abilities in administering help to the rescued; in fact, every officer and soldier (the latter were negroes) did the best they could for the suffering men after they were saved, as there are but a few small boats in the fort which were in use. To the above I certify on honor as being true, and would further state that besides mine abundant testimony can be easily procured to prove that at least that part of the letter of Actg. Ensign James H. Berry and executive officer iron-clad Essex wherein he relates that "he saw a number of skiffs and other boats lying hauled up out of the water, &c., and no one at the fort offered to do anything for the suffering men in our boats except the watchman at the coal barges," is devoid of truth.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. METHUDY,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.]

HDQRS. FORT PICKERING, OFFICE SENIOR SURGEON,
Memphis, Tenn., April 29, 1865.

Captain L. METHUDY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: I have the honor to report that on the morning of the 27th instant I was called from by bed at about 5 o'clock by a messenger informing me that a large number of "half-drowned men" were on the river bank in the fort requiring medical assistance. This was the first intimation that I had of the result of the blowing up of the steamer Sultana. Repairing as quickly as possible to the river I found there many of the victims of the explosion. Captain Methudy, acting assistant adjutant-general, on the staff of Colonel I. G. Kappner, was there before me, and was giving such directions to the men of the garrison then present as he thought might conduce to the comfort of the rescued men. Many of them were seriously injured by scalding and contusions, and all were shivering with cold, being still in their wet clothing; but large fires were blazing and stimulants administered. having no clothing for these men in the fort, and many of them needing treatment in the hospital, I immediately returned to my office and wrote a note to Surgeon Irwin, U. S. Army, and superintendent general hospitals, stating the facts and requesting him to send ambulances, and blankets. In a very short time these arrived. In the meantime, learning that a large number of the unfortunate men were in the hospital of the Third U. S. Colored Artillery (Heavy), at the upper end of the fort, I went there and found twenty-five of them, many occupying the