October 18, 1862
President Lincoln had a special place in his heart for wounded soldiers. He writes Surgeon General William A. Hammond: “A Baltimore Committee call on me this morning saying that City is full of straggling soldiers half sick, half well, who profess to have been turned from the hospitals with no definite directions where to go. Is this true? Are men turned from the hospitals without knowing where to go.” Hammond responded, in effect blaming the soldiers for the problems:
I am sure there is no blame to be attached to the Military Authorities in Baltimore. I have however referred your communication to Surg Simpson the Medical Director for report.
The orders of this Bureau are that all soldiers fit for duty shall be turned over to the Military Authorities and I have heard of no instances in which this has not been done.
The fault lies probably with the men themselves who neglected to obey their orders.
Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War 
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