340 
A. A. HOLCOMBE. 
allowed one ration and a horse. The ration was paid in kind , 
not in money, and though common food was furnished, it was 
sufficient to live upon, and thus saved the expenditure of any 
money at officers’ mess. This last item of expense to the officer 
certainly could not have been much less than $15 per month, 
which would leave the Surgeon’s income no greater than that of 
the Veterinary Surgeon. Upon the subject of pay, then, the 
Veterinary Surgeon had no reason to complain. 
But it will be said the Veterinary Surgeon was not a commis¬ 
sioned officer. Very true. Nor were the majority of those who 
served at that time worthy of commissions. They were ill-bred, 
ignorant, shiftless men ; men without character, principle, veteri¬ 
nary instruction, or ability to earn an honest living. In the 
ranks, serving as private soldiers, were thousands of men well- 
bred, aspiring, talented and refined ; men from the higher ranks 
of life, who might grace any of the professions or lend a charm 
to any society. 
To place the illiterate in authority over these by virtue of 
commissions unearned by bravery in the field, or undeserved from 
want of intelligence, would have been an injustice which I can 
scarcely believe would be demanded by the most radical advocate 
of professional rights. 
The simple fact that Army Veterinary Surgeons were not com¬ 
missioned officers, kept a number of educated veterinarians from 
entering the army during the war, and it was unfortunate for the 
profession, and for the Government as well, that her condition 
was such that the Government could not do more for us than she 
did. Had the circumstances been favorable, had there been as 
many Veterinary Surgeons in this country then as now, I have no 
doubt stress of circumstances would have been instrumental in 
securing for veterinary medicine that recognition to which we 
think she is now entitled. 
That Congress has in the past been favorably inclined toward 
veterinary medicine in the army, is evinced by its action in the 
early part of 1866, when it added a Senior Veterinary Surgeon 
to the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth regiments of cavalry, 
at the increased salary of $100 per month ; and later in the same 
