Jonathan Letterman letter

[Medical Department Office]
[Philadelphia] Sept. 26th/64

Respectfully returned to the
Surgeon General whose attention
is invited to the enclosed
report of [Assistant Surgeon Alden]
regarding the matter contained
in the letter of the Mayor of
Beverly. This report meets the
decided approval of this Office,
& shows that the statements
contained in the letter are
unfounded. I believe that the
whole sufficiently lies in the
fact that [Assistant Surgeon Wagner]
will not permit the Mayor
& the ladies of the town to control
him & contact the Hospital in
accordance with their ideas.
The meddlesome character
of the Mayor as shown by
his conduct toward that

Hospital, as well as that of
many women who have
been running to it, has become
a nuisance. Every investigation
which has been made has
shown the falsity of the charges
against this Hospital, & if
the Mayor of Beverly would
attend to his own duties,
& cease annoying faithful
& competent officers of the
Government in the discharge
of theirs, by making charges
which have no foundation to
rest on, many of the citizens
over whom he presides might
be induced to follow his
example to to the great
benefit of the soldiers for
whom he expresses so much
concern. (Signed) [Jonathan Letterman]
[Surgeon] & [Acting Medical Director]