The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-08-30
NEW SERIES-NO. 4O4

off from our positions in the army and our
chances of being soon exchanged so as to
resume them would be much less than if
we remained prisoners of war in the enc
my's hands. If we refused, however, to
sign at all, we would become such prisoners
of war, would be removed to Richmond at
degree sacrificed. Some of us felt that we
would rather sacrifice ourselves than that !;
but before deciding, we returned to Colonel
Preston, when this conversation took place:
Surgeon Stewart -" Colonel, we have as
yet come to no decision but the wounded
of my Regiment at the Sudley Church
Hospital being as four to one of any other
there-over fifty--and having followed
them nearly two thousand miles as their
medical attendant, feel that it is my duty
to go back and attend to them at any and
all sacrifices. l dislike very much to sign
this parole and though will now do so,
it is only and rather than leave my men to
die uncared for, or to be attended to by
strangers merely"
Colonel P.--"Doctor, this is matter
that rests entirely with you all-you under.
stand, it is voluntary matter"
made no reply to this cool observation
of that being a voluntary act to which they
forced US by combination of inexorable
circumstances but proceeded at once to
sign the parole, in which was followed by
all my colleagues, the Surgeons of the Sud-
ley Church Hospital.
RETURN TO sUDLEY CHURCH HOSPITAL.
We were then returned to our hospital at
the battle field, our return being made in
more comfortable vehicle and by different
route from that by which we had come.
DEATHS WHILE THE SURGEONS WERE ABSENT.
On our arrival we were distressed tc find
that during our absence of about twenty
four hours only, nearly twenty of our men
had died, some of whom would almost GER
tainly have been saved if the surgeons had
not been removed so long away from them;
and this melancholy fact confirmed us in the
opinion that we had pursued the true path
of duty in subscribing to the only course by
which we were still allowed to give those
who yet remained alive the benefit of all
the skill and nursing we could bestow
THE WOUNDED AND SURGEONS GO TO RICH-
MOND.
Thus we continued to do for some two
weeks longer, when the Confederates deemed
them sufficiently recovered to be removed to
Richmond; and the next day they also COM
PEELED us to follow to the same city.
THE ARDUoUs DUTY AT sUDLEY CHURCH.
1t is possible there are some who will
think this tour of duty at Sudley Church
was pleasant one. After the rebels took
their wounded away, there still remained
between three and four hundred of our men
to be cared for. The rain being over by
Tuesday morning, the weather grew ex.
ceedingly warm, and the sun very powerful.
and the whole atmosphere became loaded
with the odor of decaying mortality from
the unburied dead of the battle field, to
which was added for our own immediate
discomfort, the feter from so many fostering
wounds Immediately around US in the hos
pital. Besides this Inconvenience, we had
severe and exhausting labor day and night,
and we had besides, for days after the bat
tie, to provide sustenance for ourselves and
men by sending out and purchasing food in
the neighboring country, the surgeons con,
tributing of their own private means as
fund for this purpose-Tithout which we
should all have starved. 1t was nearly a
week before the Confederate commissariat
became sufficiently organized and plentiful
to ration US.
TRIBUTE TO THE REBEL OFFICERS.
would here say, 10 the spirit of award
ing sheer justice even to enemies and trail
tors, that the officers of the enemy who
visited US at the Church, all treated US
we'll, and codsiderately and l may say the
same of all their officials, the military, with
whom we came in contact everywhere, saw
ing and excepting the senior official before
mentioned, who was experimenting the
collection of the wounded on the battle
field, and excepting also the lower state of
their mob, and the women OF all ranks.
MENT OF PAROLE.
On reaching Manassas on our way to
Richmond, we we're stopped at headquar-
ters, and had an interview with Beauregard,
by whom we were politely treated, and who
ascribed the good condition our wounded
bad so soon attained, to our remaining to
take care of them. He then endorsed upon
our parole the following:
HEADQUARTERS FIRST CORPS.
Army of the Potomac, August Sd.
The parole of these surgeons was taken to
prevent the necessary of guarding them while
they were attending to the enemys wounded,
with the understanding that it was to be con.
tinued by the War Department after leaving
here, and that they were to be permitted to re-
turn to their homes when their service would
be no longer required, on the ground that they
were non.combatants, and might have got off
If they had Initiated their fellow officers.
(Signed.) Pc. T. BEAUREGARD.
General Commanding.
ARRIVAL AT RICHMOND AND DEPARTURE FOR
HOME.
We were then placed in charge of
Lieutenant, and conveyed by Railroad to
Richmond and after remaining there some