U. S. SANITARY COMMISSION, ADAMS HOUSE, 244 F STREET,

Washington, D. C., September 17, 1862.

Major-General HALLECK,

Commander-in-Chief:

GENERAL: The Sanitary Commission appointed by the War Department in June, 1861, to advise and aid the Government in respect to the sanitary condition of the Army, has now had an existence almost coeval with the war. It has worked for many months and is now working in perfect harmony with the Medical Bureau, and has it whole system adjusted to the military order and subordination which ought to reign, even in benevolence, in a time of war. Anxious not to be confounded with the irregular and eccentric movements so often using our name, we would write the Commander- in-Chief to examine either personally or by a responsible representative the scheme and the working of the Sanitary Commission, that, if he see fit, he may give it the sanction of his official authority.

Representing and organizing the spontaneous benevolence and solicitude of the homes from which our vast Army comes, and enjoying the confidence of the best citizens in all loyal communicaties, the Sanitary Commission is in an attitude to save the Government an immense amount of care and trouble (foreign to governmental functions) if it has the moral support and confidence of the high authorities of the Nation. By its thoroughly organized and largely experienced system, it can now take complete and exclusive charge of all the outside effort, so large and irresistible, which the country is making to add to the comfort and security of our sick and wounded soldiers. Were the various State and local committees and agents-which now embarrass the Medical Department by their humane but inexperienced and generally superfluous exertions-requested to report to and act under the only organization recognized by the Government (the U. S. Sanitary Commission), not only would a vast amount of waste, disorder, intermeddling, complaint, and confusion be avoided, but a responsible organization, easily held to its accountability, would be left to receive the money and supplies furnished by the benevolence of the Nation-an organization which would always sustain the methods and order of the Medical Department, being in confidential and through sympathy with the Surgeon-General, and solicitous to uphold his hands and aid his efforts, without intrusion or superserviceableness.

The Nation having already poured into our treasury $160,000 in money, and filled our store-houses with supplies, in value to the amount of perhaps, $2,000,000, we think we can honestly and without immodesty claim to posses its confidence and to be entitled to the full moral support of the Government.

The scientific value of the laborious inspection system we have pursued; the extensive tabulation of medico-military statistics we have made; the extent of the sanitary information furnished the Army in the printed tracts we have circulated to the extent of tents of thousands, and of the condensed medical information furnished the surgeons in the form of medical essays, made by committees of the soundest and most distinguished physicians throughout the country, all-we make bold to affirm-give us a perfect claim to the full and cordial support of the Commander- in-Chief and of the Government.