ity,
this had little, if anything, to do with it. It is even very doubtful if
there was any difference in favor of the superior horsemanship of the
southern cavalry. Their strength lay in their union. The rebel cavalry
was organized from the beginning; ours was an incoherent mass of men,
having no proper relations or dependencies within itself. From the day
that it became organized, the superiority of the rebel cavalry passed
away forever. We had always better horses, and our men were certainly
never inferior to the rebels. All that was needed was the proper
combination of action; and, as soon as this was secured, our cavalry
became the finest in the world.

The business departments were also thoroughly renovated. The changes in
the medical, quartermasters' and commissary departments were such as to
bring each to a standard of perfection, which had never before been
reached by those departments of any army in the field. No army had ever
been provisioned as was ours that winter. Soft bread, potatoes, beets,
carrots, onions, fresh beef, flour, sugar and coffee, constituted the
regular rations of the men, and facilities were afforded for procuring
luxuries not in the regular supply.

The medical department became so thoroughly systematized, that wounded
and sick men were cared for better than they had ever been in an army
before. This radical change had commenced under General Burnside; but
was perfected under General Hooker, by the efficient and earnest medical
director of the army, Dr. Letterman; to whom belongs the honor of
bringing about this most desirable change.

By the new system, the surgeons were enabled to accomplish a far greater
amount of work, and in much better order than under the old; and the
wounded were better and more quickly cared for. By this system the
hospital of the division was the unit. From the division, a medical
officer of good executive ability was selected, to whom was assigned the
general oversight of the hospital. One or more surgeons of well known
skill and experience were detailed from the medical force of the
division, who were known as "operating surgeons;" to each of whom was
assigned three assistants, also known to be skillful men, who were
either surgeons or assistant surgeons. To the operating surgeons all
cases requiring surgical operations were brought, and thus the wounded
men had the benefit of the very best talent and experience in the
division, in the decision of the quest