Rare Civil War Ambulance Document

This is truly a rare Civil War document which is being offered. It was written by an officer from the 1^st Division, 6^th Corps, on May 13^th, 1863. It is addressed to the Adjutant General of the 2^nd Brigade of the 1^st Division of the 6^th Corps.

This document was given to a member of the 16^th New York Volunteers who was to report to the 121^st New York to become a member of that unit. However, this handwritten document states that he would be accepted as a driver with the Ambulance Corps with the 6^th Corps. There was a demand for men to join the Ambulance Corps due to the ongoing casualties associated with the Chancellorsville Campaign. 

The Ambulance Corps was a unit of the Union Army during the Civil War. It was initially formed as a unit only within the Army of the Potomac, due to the effort of several Army officials, notably Dr. Jonathan Letterman, medical director of the Army of the Potomac, and William Hammond, the US Surgeon-General. Until August 1862, the lack of trained ambulance drivers meant that the wounded had to wait a long time to receive medical care. This changed at the Battle of Antietam in September 1862. The Ambulance Corps provided trained drivers and litter-bearers who provided much better service and care for the wounded. The corps also meant that ambulances had a more centralized organization.

Any document mentioning the Ambulance Corps is very rare and seldom encountered, mainly because it was such a small part of the Union army. The document has two folds and measures 8” x 5” and is written in old brown ink. It is very legible and would look great framed alongside of a copy of a period ambulance image, such as the one shown here; it is actually of the 6th Corps, which this document is associated with. More research is needed by the new owner and if anyone can decipher the name of the Commander of the Ambulance Corps, please let me know and I will list it.