Now, it will be noticed that by the act of 1795 (upon which the decision of the court was based) the militia employed in the service of the United States are subject to the Rules and Articles of War, and in the act of 1861 the militia called into the service of the United States shall be subject to them.

I respectfully suggest that the change of expression was intentional, and that under the law now in force the Articles of War apply to men as soon as drafted, and that persons refusing to obey the call by not appearing may be treated as deserters.

I respectfully recommend that provost-marshal be appointed in Pennsylvania as in other States, but that no impressment of drafted men be made until the question above stated be satisfactorily settled.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. P. BUCKINGHAM,

Brigadier-General and Assistant Adjutant-General.

WASHINGTON, D. C., October 30, 1862.

HENRY I. BOWDITCH, M. D.,

Boston, Mass.:

DEAR SIR: The efforts made by the Government for the care, comfort, and protection of the volunteers and others employed in the military service are very much misunderstood and very much misrepresented. Occupied with duty which leaves me no time for controversy, I have not attempted to reply to the mistaken observations in disparagement of the ambulance service. As you have inclosed to me, however, an article over your own signature, i put down hastily some observations on its subject. I have no doubt of the entire sincerity with which you have written, and of the honest desire to advance the public interest which animates you and may others, members of benevolent associations or professions, in the statements which, emanating from them, are printed in the daily papers. Some of them, however, do great injustice to the Quartermaster's Department. None of the writers appear to have the least conception of the gigantic provision made by the Government for the care of the wounded and sick-a provision which I am satisfied has been approached by no other Government on earth. I have not time to write a dissertation on the subject, but I will notice a few of the points made in the communication to the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal of the 9th October, 1862, which has been sent to me on a large slip apparently printed for distribution and intended to effect a change which may be for the better or may be for the whose.

The Quartermaster's Department has an immense work to carry on. There seems to be a desire in some quarters to make the Medical Department self-sustaining and independent of all aid or assistance from the quartermaster's, and indeed from all other departments. This is a mistake. In all military organizations there must be a head which can control all. The surgeon must be subject to the orders of this head. One department is charged with providing food. The surgeons must draw their food from the commissary. One department is charged with the supply of arms. The surgeons have little need of these. One is charged with providing tents, clothing, wagons, ambulances, horses, mules, forage for feeding these animals, drivers for taking care of them, and officers to manage the trains, with building