The globe. (Huntingdon, Pa.) 1856-1877, September 03, 1862, Image 1

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- • • -
Ely 61obe.
HUNTINGDON, P.A.
Thursday, August 28, 1862.
00 00 0 0000
NOTICE.
We have not the time nor the incli
nation, to dun personally, a large num
ber of persons who have unsettled ac
counts upon our books Of several years
standing. We shall, therefore, from
day to day, without respect to persons,
place into the hands of a Justice for
collection, all accounts of over two
years standing. All those who wish
to save expense, will do well to give
us a call.
§ §
A Right Step.
In this hour of the Union's peril, it
should be a paramount object of patri
otic desire to lay aside mere party is
sues and party struggles for the com
mon good; and, to the fullest and ant-'
plest extent, present a united front in
support of the government in its pres
ent effort to preserve the Union. Gen.
Siekels, in en admirable address re
cently delivered by him at New York,
hit the nail right on the head. He said
he had found many men who were
ready to interpose politics as it reason
for not doing their duty. No one would
accuse him of sympathy with the po
litical party •in power. Ile knew of
none of the dominent power for which
he had voted. Ire had his political
opinions,nnd at a proper time he would
express them. But when his former
political associates of the South said
they would appeal to the sword, and
tired on Fort Sumter (applause), he
ceased to be a politician, and because a
soldier. (Great cheering.) When peace
should be restored by the subjugation
of the rebels, all of us would be at lib
erty to resume our political discussions.
Then they might criticise the, cause of
the war, the question whether men had
proved faithful to their trust; and then
the guilty would be punished. But
now was not the time for inquiry.—
Now all other considerations must be
put aside except the duty of sustaining
the government, and putting down the
rebellion which menaces our liberties.
(Great applause.) Me counselled his
old political friends to remember how
they regarded, in 1812 and in the war
with Mexico, the men who failed to
come up to the full measure of support
of the government in its hour of need.
Let them remember the great respon
sibility of the President and those in
power. Let them hold the government
to economy and an absence of partner
ship, and place confidence in those who
prove worthy of their trust. lle had
not voted for the President, but from
a scrutiny of his acts, taking into con
sideration the difficulties with which
be is surrounded, the numbers of the
rebels, the scattered army and navy,
the empty treasury, the jealous eyes of
Europe, ready• to send here a second
Philip of Macedon to take advantage
of our divisions—when he saw, in spite
of all this, that the President bad main
tained the national dignity; that for
eign intervention had been prevented;
that the rebels had been put at bay in
their own capital instead of menacing
ours; that our army was to be doubled
—large as it was—the sagacity, faith
fulness, loyalty and justness of a patri
otic President were made manifest.
(Applause.) • Justice, truth and candor
demand that they should admit that
Abraham Lincoln bad proven himself
a Capable and able Chief Magistrate,
(Applause.)
Interesting Narrative of Dr. Donnelly.
CAXII , AT HARRISON'S LANDING,
August 4; 1862.
Burg. S. G. LANE, sth Reg. Pa. R. V. C.
My Dear Friend :—At your fre
quent and earnest solicitations, I send
you a brief sketch of my three weeks'
experience and observations among the
rebels, before and after being taken
prisoner to Richmond. You will ex
cuse my imperfect sketches of the bat
tles in which you took so active and
humane a part, in:the exercise of your
noble profession. Indeed I would not
mention those terrible engagements,
but that it is necessary to make the
sketch comp/etc and intelligible to those
of your friends who were not there
and who may read this.
As you may recollect, it was on
Thursday, the 26th of June ' that our
regiment (2d Pa. Reserves) was on
pieket duty with the 12th at Mechan
icsville, and were relieved by the sth
and Bucktails, to commence a hard
day's work with the enemy, who, we
were informed, had driven in our cav
alry pickets, and were coming down
to the right of us in strong force. Our
regiment was called out about 1i miles
to support the cavalry, but the enemy
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Ell
WILLIAM LEWIS, E ditor and Proprietor.
VOL, XVIII.
not appearing, we were ordered to f ill
back to our former location, where, af
ter manoeuvring some time, we finally
took up our position near Ellison's
Mills, and formed' in lino of battle to
the right of the Bnektails, who were in
trenched behind rifle pits, and suppor
ted a battery that acted an important
part in the battle. This battery was
admirably located for defence, as the
rebels found to their cost before night.
A Rebel Brigade Surgeon, belonging
to Hill's division, informed mo that
they had five hundred killed before the
Bucktail battery and a regiment to
their left (the 2d Pa. Re - serves) in vy
ing to cross a swamp that separated
them from us. Too much praise can
not be given to the three regiments
that held this most importantpoint,
viz : the sth to the left, commanded by
the brave Col. Simmons, whose cool
ness and generalship won the admira
tion of officers and filled the men with
confidence of victory. As to the Buck
tails, I will not attempt their praise,
the country already knows their valor
and worth ; but on this day in particu
lar every man proved himself a hero.
The 2d was entrusted•by General Rey
nolds with a most important position
on the right, and faithfully did this
brave little regiment perform its duty;
for more than five hours did they main
tain their ground against double their
number of rebels, as Utley tried to out
flank the battery by turning our right
wing. Their loss of life must have
been terrible, as they were literally
mowed down by the 2d every time
their dense masses advanced to take
the position, and the only regret was
that the regiment was not filled up to
its proper complement of men by Gov.
Curtin, for a more skillful and braver
man never led a regiment into battle
than Col. McCandless. Our wounded
of Thursday's fight were all sent to the
hospital known as Savage's House, on
the York river railroad, but it was not
till morning we got them all off, owing
to the very imperfect ambulance an.
rangemont and miserable ambulances
employed. There is no department of
our army so imperfect, incompetent
and worthless as that for the removal
of our wounded from the field of bat
tle. But I am happy to say that a
complete change is to take place iu this
branch of the service. Friday wo fell
back to Coal Haven or Gaines' Hill,
much against the will of our brave
men, who said they could hold their
position against any number of rebels.
The day was hot and sultry, and the
men suffered for want of food and rest,
neither of which they could well ob
tain. As it was known the enemy was
advancing rapidly, preparations were
made to receive thorn. Skirmishing
commenced about one o'clock, and the
fight raged with fury till near dark.—
The papers have given you a descrip
tion of that battle, which, combined,
with your own experience, will prevent
m e fro m ent er i n g into any details. I
remained up all night dressini , the
wounds of our men and doing what I
could to relieve their sufferings, which
I was fortunately enabled to do, hav
ing my transport cart and hospital at
tendants with me.
Next morning, Saturday, I crossed
the Chickahominy and joined my reg
iment with the wounded, at the New
Bridge, just in time, as preparations
were being made to destrby it before
the enemy advanced. • The wounded
were sent to Savage's House Hospital.
We rested till 9 P. M., when our march
was again resumed, and although the
York river railroad was only two miles
distant, it was daylight on Sunday
morning before we reached it at Sav
age's House. I stopped about an hour
at this noted place, where our sick and
wounded had been sent from their reg
iments. I was astonished, shocked at
the sight I beheld; amputated legs and
arms lying about on the ground
amongst the living wounded, hundreds
of whom lay in the yard, out-houses,
stables, &e., all suffering, for food and
drink; there seemed to be no head, no
surgeon or anything else in authority,
and the poor fellows of the sth and 2d,
who knew me so well, beseeched me
to have them taken away in ambulan
ces. It was, with the exception of the
uncarcd for wounded after Monday's
battle, the most heart rending scone I
ever witnessed. I left these neglected
sufferers with a heavy heart and pain
ful thoughts of their fate. On we
marched by thousands, for we were
joinedthere by other Divisions, Artil
lery, and wagon trains, that extended
for miles. After a great deal of trou
ble I rejoined my regiment, for the
road, fer miles lay through woods and
swamps, - filled with what appeared to
be, an inextricable entanglement of
Artillery, Wagons, Cavalry and Infan
try. I thought we should never again
get organized, or collect the regiments
together, but after we crossed a cordu
roy bridge at White Oak Swampthings
began to assume more order, and we
turned off to the right of the Chicka
hominy to a more elevated and open
country, whore, after marching about
a mile, we encamped (that is our bri- !
gade) in an oat field belonging to Mr.
Whitlock, whose house was a few yds.
distant. This field was part of Mon
day's battle-field. After resting till
near dark, our brigade was ordered
out on picket duty. We were station
ed along a county road running at
right angles to Charles City road—it
was down this latter road that the
rebels came in great force. There is
another county road running parallel
for some distance with Charles City
road, down which the rebel Generals
Leo, Hill, Longstreet and MeGruder
advanced their forces to attack our ar
my on Tuesday.
Picket duty may be very pleasant,
when the enemy is humane and keeps
at a respecful distance, but l can an
swer you ii is otherwise when you ex
pect a volley of balls into you every
minute. This latter was my expecta
HUNTINGDON, PA., WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1862.
tion, with accompanying feelings, as I
lay half asleep and awake by my
horse's head, till morning. Fortunate
ly, the rebels did not disturb us, and
in the morning we resumed our posi
tion in the oats field, where the men
had a chance to eat and to rest a while
before being mustered in for pay, and
then to fight.
The " ball opened," as the boys say,
about one o'clock, and continued till
dark; the fight was obstinate and well
contested on our part, with every ad
vantage on the part of the rebels—po
sition of guns, superior force, and, I
believe, better generalship. Our Divi
sion of brave Pennsylvanians, misnam
ed reserves, in these battles, suffered
terribly in this engagement; we lost
many brave men whose lives • were
freely given for their country; many
others were wounded and died from
neglect, intentional neglect, for there
can be no excuse offered by the fiend
ish enemy for letting wounded chris
tian brothers lie on the battle-field
from Monday night till Friday and
Saturday, whilst they had thousands
of their own men on the field, and hun
dreds of ours as prisoners, whom they
might have detailed for the purpose of',
having them carried into the neighbor
ing farm houses. It was a most hor
rible sight to see our brave men when
they were brought in from the field
and woods, with crushed and torn legs
and arms, gashed and bullet wounded
bodies, full of maggots wherever the
flesh was cut or penetrated by bullet
or bayonet Oh ! how it made me shud
der when I saw the disgusting grubs
wriggling and penetrating the tender
wounds of, my companions; all this
was to ho seen in whatever direction
you walked, without you having the
means to give but temporary relief.—
I told Gene. Lee, McGruder and Wind
er, who was Provost Marshal, of the
condition of our wounded, the two
former on Tuesday morning, and the
latter on Wednesday, when I went to
hint to beg some provisions, as nothing
in the shape of food had been issued
to onr hundreds of wounded in the dif
ferent houses, roads, and woods on and
around the battle-field, nor did they
get anything till Friday, when they
sent to Willis' church, where Surgeon
Marsh was stationed, some rancid ba
con and flour. Four days and nothing
to eat for well or wounded but what
we could gather out of the wounded
mons haversacks; yet the Rebel com
missaries were dealing provisions out
to their men daily ! Starvation was
the cause of many a brave man's
death, how do you suppose I had an
opportunity of having an interview
with so many rebel Generals ? (rebels
against their country and the feelings
of humanity.) I'll toll you I On
Tuesday morning Dr. Marsh, Collins,
and myself were busy taking down the
names of our wounded men in the
church, and surrounding woods; while
performing this necessary labor, sonic
person informed Gen. McGruder that
we were taking sketches of the coun
try, counting the number of Jackson's
army that passed down the Quaker
road that morning, &c. When the
guard came after us we were all up at
i Hospital about one-fourth of a mile
distant, where Gen. Lee had ordered
us to go with our own and their woun
ded, as he said the church would be
hit by our shot as it was in range of
the Yankee batteries (which was the
only truth uttered by a rebel General
within my knowledge, and which I
verified when the cannonading com
menced.) But we could not move
our wounded as we had neither stretch
ers nor men, and they would not give
us either, so with the exception of Ma
jor Woodward, whom Dr. Collins and
I assisted in carrying, and ono or two
others who limped up, all the rest re
mained, and wo with them. But the
guard, yes the guard, came up- to Dr.
Collins and me with orders from Gen,
McGruder, that the Rurgeon who was
making notes in the morning should
repair immediately to his headquar
ters- The individual who bore this
order intimated that I looked like the
person described to the Gen, Dr. Col
lins thought I had better go, so off I
wont with my secesh escort, to find
McGruder. We travelled for over a
mile through their grand army in the
direction of Malvern Hill, where Mc-
Grader was forming his artillery and
infantry in order for battle. I introdu
ced myself to him and requested to
know why I had been sent for; he an
swered in a stuttering, hasty form of
speech, that ho bad been informed
that I was taking notes and making
sketches of the country, and if so, he
wanted to see the papers. I denied
that I had either made a note or
sketch outside of my profession, and
that his informant had told him what
was not true. After a little further
conversation ho appeared perfectly
satisfied of my innocence, and assured
me I had liberty to go where I pleas
ed, as surgeons were not considered
prisoners of war, which opinion, I am
sorry to say, his government did not
coincide in, for after ten days of' labor
and privations we were, when taken
to Richmond, strictly confined in a
Hospital prison without any privile
ges whatever, but such as wore allow
ed to any other prisoner.
A few minutes after the obove inter
view, I was introduced to Gen. Lee,
who was conversing with Jeff. Davis,
surrounded by the principal officers of
the rebel army. His questions were
similar to those of McGruder's, but
spoken in a more gentlemanly and
polished manner. His promises the
same and as faithfully carried out, not
only in regard to the liberty and posi
tion of surgeons, but to the inhuman
neglect of our poor wounded ; being in
their sight on tho battle-field with
their undressed wounds expesed to a
boiling July sun, and their piteous
moans within hearing of Jeff. Davis
and his minions. Thus passeci
-PERSEVERE.-
day morning's interview with the I
chiefs of the rebel fiord, who were ma
king preparations to execute their
plan of capturing Gen. McClellan and
his whole army that evening. So
sure were they of this, that not only
Jeff. Davis, but the; elite of Richmond
were there assembled to view the
game when bagged. I confess I felt
in anything but a cheerful mood when
I beheld their immense army of over
ono hundred thousand men, and with
more artillery than I ever imagined
the whole South contained, and that
too, with the apparent freshness of
their troops, for I` watched olosoly
their gait and manner, and was sur
prised at their perfect discipline and
vigorous appearance, under all the dis
vantages of clothing, for there were
hardly two dressed alike, and what
they had on (generally shirt and
pants), was so dirty that it was impos
sible to tell the •
The outfit of a well dressed infantry
rebel in active service, consisted of a
slouched hat made of felt, cotton cloth
or such material as suited the fancy of
the wearer, caps of all colors, and
straw hats, short jackets, pants of all
colors, shoes, cotton haversacks, a car
touch box and gun. The officers wore
a grey .uniform, with a profusion of
gilt braid on their arms, with their
rank indicated on their collars. This
was the dress of perhaps the majority,
but there were great numbers who
wero dressed in citizens dress, both
old and dirty. I saw Captains and
Surgeons dressed in home-made suits,
without any regard to military rule or
costume. Surgeons and all carried
Colt's revolvers. Jeff. Davis was drcs
in a plain black suit, black felt hat,
and looked neat and clean, something
like a gentleman farmer, without the
latter's honest bright countenance, for
Jeff. is careworn and his cheeks aro
sunken and wrinkled. He is a tall
and gentlemanly looking man, with
features indicating great intelligence
and sagacity amidst the cores of treas
on and the wrinkles of age. He mov
ed about among the soldiers . without
their making any domonstrations of
joy or evincing any curiosity. Per
haps this was owing to his being
among them so much, for I was in
formed that he was in several of the
battles, and was under fire in Monday%
battle, and, of course, would be to-day,
so as to receive McClellan's sword, af
ter the Yankees were bagged by Lee
and Jackson (Hole-in-the-wall.) Be
fore closing this imperfeot sketch of
the rebel army, I must record, my ad
miration and give my thanks for the
kindness and good behavior of the sol
diers (privates), towards our sick and
wounded men. Indeed, if it had not
been for them, a great many more of
our wounded would' have died from
hunger and thirst. They were over
willing to assist me in the care of our
men, and would frequently sit for hours
keeping off the flies from the wounds
of their enemies, in battle, but now
helpless, suffering prisoners. They
spoke of their officers in the most re
proachful terms, for allowing our
wounded to Ho so long in the sun and
rain in the fields and roads, and could
not account for' such shameful neg
lect; and wondered if the Yankees
would let them lie in the bush so long.
One man remarked in regard to the
privates of the rebel army, —I never
heard, during my three weeks among
them, any make use of profane or in
decent language, and I was surround
ed daily by hundreds of them, from all
parts of the South.
Tuesday's Battle
Great were the preparations of the
rebel chiefs, and jubilant were their
brave misguided followers, for one and
all felt confident of acelellan's defeat
and capture. It was impossible, they
said, that he could escape, with Jack
son on his left to cut off his retreat,
an overwhelming force on his front
and on his right, with the river in ,he
rear to prevent his escape. The bat
tle commenced about ono P. M., by
skirmishing, and by five the whole of
the rebel force seemed to be advanc
ing, and from that till 7:1- the most
terrific firing I Over heard was kept
up on our side; about 74 the rebels
began to fall back in the greatest con
fusion, and by 8 o'clock there was a
general stampede; the panic-stricken
thousands came rushing up the differ
ent roads in ungovernable masses,
cavalry, artillery and infantry, run
ning as if the Yankees were- at their
heels. Never did I suppose that such
an immense army would be in so short
a time completely routed, disorganiz
ed, defeated, used up and impotent as
far as all resistance could ho offered.—
Where I was (at the church), must
have been a mile and a half from the
battle-field at Malvern Hill, yet our
guns threw shot and shell as thick
around the building and beyond it, as
if pieces wore detailed for that special
object. The rebel surgeons had made
an adjoining house their headquar
ters, bat they were soon driven far
ther up the road, where they wore
kept busy till morning, I remained
till 2 o'clock in the morning in the
church yard, dressing the wounds of
the rebels as they were brought in by
their companions, who refused to bp
carried fart-her when they heard a
Surgeon was on the spot. Thus was
I loft hard at work relieving the poor
wretches' whose frightful wounds,
principally from grape, canister and
shell, gave them groat agony, and
which they did not appear to bear
half as well as our men. I must con
fess I felt a lightness of heart and
buoyancy of spirits that seemed in
ill
keeping with the surroundings, but I
could not help this flow of spirits, this
new life that wrs infused in mo by the
overwbelming defeat of the rebels„-- ,
What would I not have given to have
been able to tell Gen, MeOlollan that
the road to Richmond was open; the
defeat of Lee, 3.loGruder, Hill and
Longstreet was complete, and all he
had to do was to, march his victorious
veterans on to Richmond.
Wednesday was a rainy,dismal day
within the rebel lines. Every few
minutes Generals, Colonels, Captains,
and other officers were inquiring for
some division, brigade, regiment, &e.
Their admirable ambulance corps
were busy carrying off their wounded
to Richmond; regiments, companies,
parts of brigades and divisions were
encamped in the fields and woods
without system or order; wagons, ar
tillery, ambulances and some Infantry
seemed to be making for Richmond by
the Charles City Road. •
On Wednesday, Dr. Marsh was suf
ficiently recovered to be able to take
charge of the wounded in the church,
whilst Dr. Collins and myself, each
took charge of houses filled with woun
ded ; th house of Mr. Whitlock, on
the battle field on Monday, and The Dr.
at a place about half a mile distant on
the Quaker road. Whitlock's and
Bich's farms were the battle-fields of
June 30th, the former a white man,
and the latter a negro, whose house
was also used as a hospital by Doctor
Swinben of New York or Albany, a
'gentlemanly and kind hearted man,
who afterwards went to Savage's hos
pital. Whitlock, his wife and seven
small children were in the cellar du
ring the battle, their frame house was
completely riddled with balls, and the
largo brick chimney, which in all coun
try houses through the State aro built
on the outside, was broken in several
places, and holes made through it by
cannon balls in several places. It was
in this small two story frame, with on
ly throe rooms, that I had forty-two
patients, officers and men, all serious
ly wounded, with no assistance but
my fitithful Hartman (Thos. Hartman,
2d regiment Pa. Res.) who voluntari
ly remained with me when the army
left the night after the battle. Words
cannot express the obligations I am
under to this faithful man, who labor
ed day and night in relieving the
wants of tho wounded, prepa
ring them such food as could be
found lying in haversacks, helping mo
to dress their wounds and supplying
their constant cries for water. (He
was detained a prisoner in Richmond
after I left, but has since joined the
regiment. Friend Lane, it is in such
places and under such circumstances,
that a man's humanity to man can be
tried ! It was on Wednesday, the 2d
of July, I took charge of the wounded
in and around Whitlock's house, and
on the same day I went to Gen. Win
der, who was encamped close by, and
informed him of the condition of our
wounded • nothing to cat, no nurses,
our men
wounded;
in the field without my
having means to carry them in, and
for which I bogged him to detail
me some men to assist me. I received
no satisfaction and neither food nor
help, and it was not till Friday, the 4th
of July, five days after being wound
ed, that we received some flour and
rancid fat pork, which had been sent
to Dr. Marsh for all our wounded by
the Confederate Government. Friday
the rebels began to bring in our woun
ded on stretchers, one at a time, seven
that were nearest to my hospital that
were brought in to me this day, and
others were carried to the nearest hou
ses; many however, died from exhaus
tion produced by starvation. Captain
Miller of the 10th Pa. Res. died to-day.
An incident occurred to-day, show
ing the bitter and hostile feeling of
even-the Confederate Surgeons against
the Yankees. Ono of them, Dr. hays
of Georgia, Surgeon of the .36th Ala
bama Rgiment, of Rhodes' Brigade,
Hill's Division, commenced abusing
ono of our wounded men in a most vi
olent manner for coming into their
country to murder southern gentlemen,
ravish their women, &c. The poor fel
low made reply, that he did not come
for those purposes, but as a soldier
fighting for his government. But you
did, G—d d—n you, and that son of a
b—h, brute Butler, issued a proclama
tion permitting you to commit rape on
every southern lady in the country. I
hero interposed and told the Dr. not to
annoy the wounded man, as he was
suffering so much pain already; .and
asked where he saw Gen. Butler's pro
clamation permitting such outrages ?
He replied it was published in our
Yankee papers. I told him I did not
believe any paper in the north would
publish such an order. He wanted to
know if I contradicted him. I answer
ed I did pot believe such an order was
ever published in any northern paper.
I bad hardly the words spoken when
he picked up-the heavy centre part of
a barrel head, and threw it at my face
with groat violence; fortunately I es
caped the missile and his Brigade Sur
geon, George Whitefield, interposed to
prevent further violence being offered
me, which no doubt saved my life, as
Hayes threatened to shoot me if I ut
tered another word. The Surgeons
who stood by and witnessed this act of
southern chivalry, were George Whit
field, senior Surgeon of Rhodes' Bri
gade; & de. • Paul C. Lee, 3d Alabama Regi
ment; A. A. NeQueen, 4ssistant Sur
geon, 3d Alabama Regiment; T. C.
Hill, Acting Surgeon sth Alabama Re
giment. They all left sin:A.oy after and
I never saw them again. Dr. Whit
field will receive my thanks for his val
uable assistance rendered to our woun
ded.
The heat was now intense, and our
wounded men suffered terribly from
its effects, but the largo blue flies wore
the most serious annoyance. They
swarmed in thousands around the poor
men, depositing their eggs where there
was the least odor from a wound.—
Those eggs in a few hours became dis
gusting maggots, crawling over the
body and penetrating every wound.—
It was impossible to keep them out of
the wounds with my limited means, no
dressings, no turpentine or chloroform
TERMS, $1,50 a year in advance.
to kill them, in fact nothing but such
rags as we could find in and about the
house.
On the Bth of July, two large army
wagons were sent to take away my
wounded to Richmond. These wag
ons wore very heavy, clumsy vehicles
without springs to them, and neither
straw nor beds inside. I mentioned in
few but strong words the inhumanity
of carrying wounded men over the bad
roads in such wagons, but it was of no
avail, the orders were to take as many
Yankees as they would hold, so I se
lected the least dangerously wounded
and put five only in each wagon, with
some blankets to make them as corn.
fortable as possible. I told the officer
in Charge he need not return with such
conveyances, as I positively would
not permit the wounded to be placed
in them. As the wagons moved off
several of tho poor fellows shrieked
with pain, as a heavy jolt would dis
place or bruise their wounded limbs.—
I never Would have believed a civil
ized people could practice such inhu
manity. On the 10th they removed
the remainder in ambulances ,about
of a mile distant, preparatory to tak
ing them to Richmond.
Friday, the lltb.-Our trip to Rich
mond to-day, was hailed with delight
by all, Surgeons, nurses and wounded,
for wo were confident of obtaining pro
per food, good care and everything ne
cessary for our comfort; but alas! we
were sadly disappointed, as the sequel
will prove. Two largo omnibuses,
drawn by eight mules each, were
crowded with about ono hundred woun
ded; these were principally officers,
and I accompanied theM, being favor
ed with a scat on the driver's box, on
condition that I would act as brakes
man, which I did, regulating the speed
of the coach in descending the hills in
spite of the mules and negro drivers.—
We arrived in Richinond at 9 P. M.,
after a ride of four hours on the Charles
City road. There were no fortifica
tions on the road, with the exception
of a breastwork around tho encamp
ment of Hill's division, about 1+ miles
from Richmond. We were driven
along Carey street to the Libby ware
house prison, where we underwent a
scarab by Lieut. - Turner, the jailor of
the prison hospital. Ile took from the
Surgeons all their instruments, medi
cines, swords, opera glasses, horses and
whatever else he considered contraband
for Yankee Surgeons to have. Officers
and privates lost all private or govern
ment articles that were thought to be
of any value to the rebel government,
even to Upton's imitation Confederate
notes. After being thoroughly search
ed, we were conducted into a large
room, dimly lighted by two candles,
where the wounded officers and pri
vates were placed on cots, stretchers,
floor, &e., Surgeons, field-officers, pri
vates and nurses all together. Every
one well enough bad to look out for
himself; for Doctor Bentley, who had
charge, was unable to provide for the
badly wounded, in consequence of the
government not supplying him with
common necessaries to do so. I was
fortunate enough to secure a bench on
which to sloop, and kept possession of
it till I
.left. In this long, dark room
there was partitioned off in one corner,
near the table where our food was di
vided and given out, a water closet,
(excuse the polite term,) with open
ings. This filthy place was used by
Surgeons, patients, cooks and nurses.
Diarrhcea, prevailed to a great extent
amongst all the prisoners, and the
string of applicants was generally so
great that you had to wait half an
hour before your turn would come; and
this was, not the worst, for while in
there the nurses would bring in the
chambers from the sick and set them
down before you, till they find an op
portunity to empty them. This parti
tion included within its narrow limits
a window without sash
,or glass, so
that the elite of Richmond, as they
passed by, could observe and philoso- '
phize on a Yankee —.
Food was furnished twice a day, at
"9
A. M. and SP. M. A. slice of bread
and meat was the constant bill of faro.
Occasionally a miserable attempt at
making soup for those who could not
swallow solid substance, but those who
tasted it once shuddered at repeating
the dose. OrTmers, occasionally, could
purchase little extras outside, as the
jailor gave permission for ono of the
nurses to go with a guard, once or
twice a day, to make purchases. 13ut
even after they had purchased a few
trifles, at an enormous cost, it was al
most impossible to have them cooked,
as the basement where the cooking was
done, had hardly any accommodations
for that purpose, besides it was used as
a receptacle for the dead of this and
other hospitals, and they were allowed
to remain for several days, till the
smell from their decomposing bodies,
tie it came up through the grating over
the largo trap door, into our room, was
most disgustingly offensive. There
were few who could relish eating food
from such a place. I observed corpses
very much decomposed when they
brought them into our kitchen.
Such, friend Lane, is a brief and feint,
very feint description of this filthy pri
son hospital. Of other horrors con
nected with it, I will not shock your
sensibility by a recital. Such was the
treatment our brave officers and mon
received ; such was the liberty given
and respect paid to Surgeons; such the
nourishment of men whom thoy had
allowed to lie in outhouses, fields,
woods and swamps of the different
battle fields for two weeks, with noth,
ing to eat but flour and rancid PM.—
But then we invaded, they say, their
soil, and we deserve no beaer• still a
Christian, brave and chivalrous peo
ple should have mercy on the poor,
helpless, wounded soldier. It is a ter
rible spirit of revenge that will delibe
rately starve to death, and look on
with apparent satisfaction, a wounded
2 1 1- 7 T . 311 amomi - 4
JOB PRLIITRicI• OFFICE.
(( GLOBE JOl3 'OFFICE" le
T the 'most complete of_ any in the country, and pon
gees the !nog augleincilities for promptly executing to
opo but style, Rory griety of Joh Itrlßtlng, such
HALER BILLS, -
PROQRAMMES,
PI4NKS,
POSTERS,
9413D5,
CIRCULARS,
BALL TICKETS,
LABELS, 40., 4C., &C
NO. 13.
CALL 4crp EXAMINE SPECIMEN'S' O MORN,
AT LEWIS' 11001{, STATIONERY Sr. MUSIC STOIIN
brother soldier, whose ghastly and
painful wpunds should make ns drop a
tear of sympathy, instead of a malig
nant smile of satisfaction. May God
deal justly with these inhuman beings.
Wiailst* in Libby prison hospital,
which extebds from Carey street bacl.
to a street running parallel With the
canal, I saw, daily, canal boats coming
down loaded with stone, Nvhich" "was
told was forFt.Darling or Drury'sßluff.
There was also a small steamer maid,
ing trips up and down the canal, -
We, the 'Surgeons, - had been inform
ed on several occasions that we would be
sent to our army on - Janies river, and
in consequence of this, on the 14th a
number of Surgeons, Assistants, vol
unteers, &c., held a meeting for the
purpose of considering the propriety
of a sufficient numberremainin g to take
care of the wounded; ten was the mon;
ber required and there were about
twenty, present: after a few minutes
interchange of thoughts, it was soon
discovered that the meeting could
come to no action in consequenceof
information received that the rebels
intended sending Doctors, patients
and all at the same thne,which proved
pretty near the truth, so that the
meeting adjourned sine die. I would
not have mentioned this little incident
of prison life, if it had not been for an
attempt made at notoriety' by the
officers of this quasi meeting, id
communication sent to the - Philadel
phia Inquirer, in ' which they style
themsolvesatriotic Surgeons &6., ke„
yet I perceive by the same paper of
July 21st, that three of these stay-4GL
hind volunteers, were the first to rettirt4
and I do not blame them, as there
was no necessity of their remaining
—how Presidents and Secretaries like
to see their names in print; pshaw
humbug Friday the 18th, we were
informed that we would be removed
to James river, and then -embark. 'Mt
our transport for home. This news
produced universal joy, and lit up
many a ghastly countenance with a,
smile of satisfaction. There were
many countenances however, who
doubted it, as they had been so often
deceived by such rebel promises ---:Dr,
Marshal, for instance, who had been
there for more than six weeks, and
who had Typhoid fever,- from which
he died, could hardly believe it possible
that he was to got away alive, which
he barely did. This was a case Or
refined rebel barbarity. The Dr. was
Surgeon of Berdan's sharp shooters;
and was taken prisoner and kept con=
fined in the Libby pest house till he
contracted the fatal malady, and one
more victim added to rebel inhumani,
ty : .for why did they detain a sur
goon who was not by their own laws
considered a prisoner of war, tilt he
contracted the prevalent disease of the
place, and after he had contracted it,
why did they keep him there :wi'th
daily promises of liberation ? why to
die, to murder him!
At 8 o'clock A. M., over ono hun
dred two horse ambulances, and tt.
few four horse, made their appearance,
and by half past nine, wo were loaded
and ready to start with lighthotirts and
fond hopes. By ton o'clock over' four
hundred of us wore under way, 'and
the long procession moved from prison'
and Richmond. Crowds of vagrant
whites and negroes gazed at us as
wo passed, some with pity, others
with contempt or indifference • one
respectable looking female, cGod bless
her) stood at the corner of a streeti
with a large pitcher of fresh, cool w 4,
ter and good to all who were ,thirsty.
It was the only Act of kindness receiv -
ed on the long march, except from the
Captain and officers of the excellent
ambulance corps which conveyed us to
the landing.
There was not much observed wor
thy of note as wo left Richmond, with
the exception of a fine view I had of
the f‘ Nov Merrimac," as she Was tow
ed up the river to receive her iron pla
ting. I was very much disappointed
in her appearance and size; she looked
like a large canal boat with a shed
amid-ships, said shed not having an
inclination so steep, or an angle so
acute but that a man could lie on• it
without sliding down; I observed men
in this position as she passed. Them
is no passage between the gun-wale
and the shed; communication fore
and aft must be beneath the centre of
the shed; she is not flat bottomed, and
when with her armament, she will
draw from six to eight feet of water ;
both stem and stern looked to me alike,
and there is room enough for a large.
cannon at:either end. I do not be
lieve she can carry more than
Take her in all„1 have great contempt
for her; besides, Ido not believe she
will be fit for service - before Septem
ber.
, As wo rode along I observed the
country in all directions, with the as
sistanco of a gcod opera glass, bub
could discover no fortifications from
Richmond to Aiken's landing. I saw
about ono regiment of Artillery, and
about one mile this side of Richmond
they have on the old turnpike road,
two old ship thirty-two pounders, one
pointing towards us and the other towv
ards the river. The driver, a very in
telligent Baltimorean, informed me
that there was but one fortification be
tween Fort Darling and Richmond.
The rebel ambulance arrangement.,
for the removal of the wounded from
the field of battle is much more Com e
plete than ours. It is a distinct corps,
under the command of a efaltiliT) and.
subordinate officers. • But I will - not
weary you with further remarks about
rebeldom, and I know you will, in the
kindness of your heait, excuse this
hasty and very imperfect sketch • of
what I hoard and saw durieg my three
weeks labors with my suffering coin
panions. Your sincere friend,
V.DWARD DONNELLY,
Surgeon 2d Regt., 1 7, C.
BILL HEADS'.