The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 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.

upon tue eueWy lTOW tn6 uOorS anu VIII.
dows, killing their captain and four pri
Yates, and put the whole to fight.
This captain it seems was a lawyer resid.
ing few miles from Petersburg, Va.
AS soon as they had left, DR.. Ferguson
was placed, with two others, into an ambu-
lance, and we started for Sudley's church
or Bull Rup, but were soon surrounded by
200 or 300 of the F. F. VS. or black horse
cavalry, who riddled our ambulance with
bullets. They then ordered us to follow
them, and 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. but
they informed US that we must first see the
General Commanding. IS. eH
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. a5 sf
We worked all night. Next morning we
were waited upon by an aid of Gen. Beau
regard who presented US with written
parole, which we refused to sign on the
following grounds LIST. That Surgeons
who voluntarily remained on the battle field
were never made or retained as prisoners Of
war. a.,s eF Asaaf
I'd. That the parole was not even such an
one as is generally given to prisoners of
war, as there was no provision in it for a
release from the parole or an 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
lily 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 verbaI 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 60 to Richmond to prepare hospitals for
our wounded. On our arrival at Richmond
we we're 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 filed.
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
ribly. The fractured limbs had rot been
placed in splints 10 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, and the majority of wounds were alive
with maggots-almost every case of ampu.
tation resulted fatally. ......
The wounded at Richmond we're not fur
nished with any blankets or clothing, and
very little medicines few cots were fur
nished for the worst cases. There were at
one time one hundred and twenty cases of
fever in the hospital under my charge and
three fourths OF them had to lie on the bare
floor. pr rs.A
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 in the city, the
poor fellows would have suffered far worse.
The guards had positive orders that 10 case
any one poked his head out of the window,
to shoot him." Nothing was. permitted to
be carried into the hospital without q spe-
cific order from Gen. Winder-the Com-
mander at Richmond. sF A .@sa :
The other prisoners werestill worse treat-
ed. They, were incarcerated in the same
class Of buildings tobacco factories) say
two hundred and fifty on each floor. Ehere
was only one water closet connected with q
building containing at least six hundred
prisoners, and only two were permitted to
60 to it at a time. There were among the
prisoners whole families of Western Vireis
mans, some Of whom must have. been seven &
ty years OF age. Z frsa 80 assel3l,Is 80
The officers, about eighty in number,
were on floor about sixty feet 10 length
by twenty 10 breadth, and were not furnish
ed with anything but the common food,
given to the other prisopers--a great many
Of them had nothing but the bare boards for
bed during my stay there. They were not
permitted to look out OF the windows, aud
few were shot at and wounded for diso-
beyiug the order--andi lumber OF our
wounded were shot at for unintentionslly
disobeying the same order. Sergeant Har-
ris Of the Minnesota Regiment, came near
being killed under those circumstances. The
officers, especially those of the 69th, Irish
Regiment.l and particularly Col C0rcorar.