The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1861-10-25

upon the enemy from the doors and win
dows, killing their captain and four pri
Yates, and put the whole to fight.
This captain it seems was lawyer resid.
ing few miles from Petersburg, Va.
As soon as they had left, DIR. Ferguson
was placed with two others, into an ambu
lance, and we started for Sudley's church
or Bull RuD. but were soon surrounded by
200 or 800 OF the F. F. VS. or black horse
cavalry, who riddled our ambulance with
bullets. They then ordered US to follow
them, aud we were taken to Manassas
Junction. We earnestly begged of them to
permit Us to stay with the wounded, who
we knew were on the field of battle. bat
they in normed US that we must first see the
General Commanding.
We arrived at Manassas Junction at 9
or 10 O'Clock, P. NJ, and were Immediately
sent into the hospitals that were then be
ing prepared for the reception of the
wounded.
We worked aIl night. Next morning we
were waited upon by an aid of Gen. Beau
regard who presented US with a written
parole, which we refused to sign on the
following grounds: lst. That Surgeons
who voluntarily remained on the battle field
were never made or retained as prisoners of
war.
"a. That the parole was not even such an
one as is generally given to prisoners Of
war, as there was 40 provision in it for q
release from the parole or au exchange.
After further consultation we concluded
not to sign any parole, and informed them
OF our decision, and also told them that if
the wounded were neglected, the responsible
lity would fall upon them. Shortly after
wards We were taken before Gen. Beaure~
gard, who heard our reasons for refusing the
parole. He then informed US that he would
put US on a verbal parole that we would not
attempt to escape. We then returned to
our respective duties. Out OF twenty three
surgeons only five signed the parole. How
ever, it is proper for US to say that the
Secretary of War (Walker) at Richmond
did not insist upon the original parole given
to these surgeons and gave the regular pa
! role.
We stayed at Manassas for two days,
when we were informed that they desired US
to go to Richmond to prepare hospitals for
our wounded. On our arrival at Richmond
we were set to work to cleanse two large
five story brick tobacco factories for that
purpose.
In few days our wounded began to ar
rive, and we continued to receive them until
both buildings were completely filled.
The poor fellows we're brought to US in a
most shocking condition. They had been
thrown into cattle cars, without straw or
hay for bedding those with broken Or am
putated limbs must have suffered most ter~
riby. TIE fractured limbs had rot been
placed in splints in the majority of cases,
and the bones generally had worked their
way through the wound and protruded
through. The cases of amputation were
still worse. The sutures had cut through
the flesh, leaving the muscles and bones
bare, aud the majority of wounds were alive
with maggots-almost every case OF ampu-
tation resulted fatally.
The wounded at Richmond were not fur
nished with any blankets or clothing, and
very little medicine-~a few cots were fur.
nished for the worst cases. There were at
one time one hundred ard twenty cases of
fever in the hospital under my charge and
three fourtis OF them had to lie 0n the bare
| hOor.
The wounded were furnished with bread
and fresh meat and occasionally rice and a
few vegetables. Only for the timely aid OF
kind friends whom we met 10 the city, the
poor fellows would have suffered far worse.
The guards had positive orders that in case
acy one "poked his head out of the window,
to shoot him." Nothing was permitted to
be carried into the hospital without spe-
cifc order from Gen. Winder--the Cons
mander at Richmond.
The other prisoners were still worse treat
ed. They were incarcerated in the same
class of buildings tobacco factories) say
two hundred and fifty on each floor. There
was only one water closet connected with a
building containing at least six hundred
prisoners, and only two were permitted to
60 to it at time. There were among the
prisoners whole families of Western Virgi-
mans, some of whom must have been seven
ty years of age.
The officers, about eighty in number.
were on floor about sixty feet in length
by twenty in breadth, and were not furnish
ed with anything but the common food
given to the other prisOners-a great many
OF them bad nothing but the bare boards for
bed during my stay there. They were not
permitted to look out of the windows, and
few were shot at and wounded for disc.
beying the order-and number of our
wounded were shot at for unintentionally
disobeying the same order. Sergeant Har-
ris of the Minnesota Regiment, came near
being killed under those circumstances. The
officers, especially those of the 69tb, (Irish
| Regiment.) and particularly Col. COrcOran