 Her role was to augment the limited Union medical facilities, to minimize the hazards to sick and wounded in fighting ships, and to facilitate delivery of medical supplies to and evacuation of personnel from forward areas.At the time of "Red Rover"s commissioning as a hospital ship, the Union was already using steamers such as the "City of Memphis" as medical transports to carry casualties upriver.However, these transports lacked necessary sanitary accommodations and medical staff, and thus were unable to prevent the spread of disease.