ureau, made application
to the Quartermaster-General to allow the Commission to take in hand
some of the transport steamboats of his department, of which a large
number were at that time lying idle, to fit them up and furnish them in
all respects suitable for the reception and care of sick and wounded
men, providing surgeons and other necessary attendance without cost to
Government. After tedious delays and disappointments of various
kinds--one fine large boat having been assigned, partially furnished by
the Commission, and then withdrawn--an order was at length received,
authorizing the Commission to take possession of any of the Government
transports, not in actual use, which might at that time be lying at
Alexandria. Under this authorization the Daniel Webster was assigned to
the Commission on the 25th of April, and having been fitted up, the
stores shipped, and the hospital corps for it assembled, it reached York
River on the 30th of April.

Other boats were subsequently, (several of them, very soon) assigned to
the Commission, and were successively fitted up, and after receiving
their freights of sick and wounded, sent to Washington, Philadelphia,
New York and other points with their precious cargoes, which were to be
transferred to the general hospitals. Among these vessels were the
"Ocean Queen," the "S. R. Spaulding," the "Elm City," the "Daniel
Webster," No. 2, the "Knickerbocker," the clipper ships Euterpe and St.
Mark, and the Commission chartered the "Wilson Small," and the
"Elizabeth," two small steamers, as tender and supply boats. The
Government were vacillating in their management in regard to these
vessels, often taking them from the Commission just when partially or
wholly fitted up, on the plea of requiring them for some purpose and
assigning another vessel, often poorly adapted to their service, on
board of which the labor of fitting and supplying must be again
undergone, when that too would be withdrawn.

To each of these hospital transports several ladies were assigned by the
Commission to take charge of the diet of the patients, assist in
dressing their wounds, and generally to care for their comfort and
welfare. Mr. Olmstead, and Mr. Knapp, the Assistant Secretary, had also
in their company, or as they pleasantly called them, members of their
staff, four ladies, who remained in the service, not leaving the
vicinity of the Peninsula, until the transfer of the troops to Acquia
Creek and Alexandri