Navy Department
Bureau of Medicine & Surgery
June 16, 1865
Sir:
Presuming that the Mississippi Squadron, will be reduced by the 15th proximo to “fifteen vessels in all,” Fleet Surgeon Pinkney[1] has been directed, through Rear Admiral Lee, to close the N. Hospital under your charge, by the 1st August proximo
The proprietor of the establishment will be notified that he can resume possession on that day.
Very respectfully &c
P. J. Horwitz[2]
Asst. to [illegible]
Delivered June 24th 1865
T. Patterson[3] Comdr
Comdg Naval Station
Surgeon William Grier[4]
Naval Hospital
Memphis, Tenn
Source: The Archives of the Robert E. Lee Memorial Foundation, Papers of the Lee Family, Box 3, M2009.333, Jessie Ball duPont Library, Stratford Hall
Transcribed by Colin Woodward, 2015 November 30
[1] Ninian Pinkney (1811-1877), a native of Maryland.
[2] Phineas Jonathan Horwitz (1822-1904), was the head of the Chief of the Bureau, what is now known as the Surgeon General.
[3] Thomas H. Patterson (1820-1889), was a rear admiral in the U. S. Navy.
[4] Grier was a navy doctor. During the Civil War, he was attached to several vessels and a temporary naval hospital at Memphis, Tennessee. Samuel Phillips Lee was the eldest son of Francis Lightfoot Lee, grandson of Thomas Lee of Stratford. Although a kinsman of Robert E. Lee, Samuel Phillips Lee was on the Union side and commanded the Mississippi River Squadron of the U. S. Navy. He was the eldest son of Francis Lightfoot Lee.
