Studies in American History 
281 
the escape of many Confederates on the night before the sur- 
render/^ On February 17, Governor Morton received a dis- 
patch asking whether he could provide hospital service for 200 
wounded. He immediately replied that he had room in ad- 
vance for all Indiana men.^® After making arrangements 
with various cities along the Ohio,^^ he telegraphed to General 
Halleck in greater detail, “We can take care of 300 wounded at 
Evansville, 500 at New Albany, and 300 at Indianapolis.”^^ 
This was the first important battle in which Indiana regi- 
ments had participated and was the occasion for extensive 
preparations for doing everything that could be done for 
their welfare. James M. Ray, acting for Governor Morton, 
called on the people for aid and supplies.^^ Morton decided to 
go to Donelson to see for himself what aid was needed and to 
administer immediate relief. Hundreds of surgeons and 
several women volunteered to go to care for the wounded not 
able to be moved. Morton entrusted to Dr. J. M. Kitchen the 
business of selecting surgeons and preparing relief. The com- 
pany included some twenty-five doctors and nurses, who 
started on February 17 by special train by way of Gairo and 
Mound City, and arrived at Donelson on February 20.^*^ They 
found that the dead had been buried, saw that the seriously 
wounded were being cared for, and noted the approximate 
number of wounded that were to be provided for by the 
state. Several of the wounded had been sent to Cairo, 
Paducah, Mound City, and St. Louis before Morton’s party 
arrived. Some of these hospitals were visited on the return 
trip and surgeons left where the immediate need was greatest. 
Morton reached Indianapolis on February 23 and immedi- 
ately began organizing and dispatching assistance to the hospi- 
tals. The hospital service at Indianapolis was reorganized; 
new hospitals were opened in the towns along the Ohio and 
inspectors dispatched to keep them in good working order. 
Other expeditions with physicians and supplies were sent 
to Paducah, Mound City, and other points where Indiana 
February 25, 1862. 
New Alhamy Daily Ledger-, February 19, 1862. 
16 General Telegrams, III, 34, 35, 47-49 ; Ne^v Albany Daily Ledger, February 18, 1862. 
11 O. P. Morton to General Halleck, February 17, 1862, General Telegrams, III, 
34. Among- the other cities offering to help were Columbus, Richmond, Terre Haute, 
Salem and Madison. Department Despatches, III, 47, 73. 
18 Indianapolis Daily Sentinel, February 21 and 28, 1862 ; ibid., March 3, 1862. 
19 New Albany Daily Ledger, February 25, 1862 ; Indianapolis Daily Sentinel, Febru- 
ary 19 and 21, 1862. 
