(seq. 62)

The Surgeon at this post is Dr Wm Ballard a learned
honorabel man. But such has been the health of
the troops that he has little to do. Having scarcely enough
to call forth his energies in the strict line of his duty, he
spends his [deletion] leisure in the studies of the natural
classics, in Botany & mathematics, He has everything
needful about him as it regards medicines, ointments
& Hospital stores, but they are in little order &
not much to boast of in point of neatness. I have
never found him wanting in his duty, or in his
attention to the sick, but the reverse. Even his negligence
of appearance is the negligence of the scholar &
the man of talents. To which we may perhaps add
that in all posts situation at the outsides of the
U. States, for distant from other facts, negligence
to appearances is [deleted text] discernable I have
generally found that such as is the strict discipline,
order & neatness of the garrison such
is the medical department of it.

The Medical room or Surgery is in a bad
condition, & badly situation; The passage to it so as
dark as almost to need a candle in the day
time. Every thing needful was be sure there, but
not marked, numbered & placed in the alphabeti-
cal order that marks some posts under sugeons
of less merit than Dr Ballard.

The barracks for the men were not in the best
orer, neither was the bedding remarkably clean.
Almost everything seemed out of repair. The man
looked healthy, cheerful & remarkably easy,
in so much that I should have mistaken them for
militia had I not known to the contrary. I re
marked [deleted]with pleasure[deleted] the fatherly tenderness