Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-05-16
The Atrocious BarbarI,y OF the Rebels.
ERanora Of aYho gomr1fftce.

upon the conduct Of tho war have made n
report to Congress upon the reports Of the
inhuman barbarity Of the rebels toward the
sick, wounded and prisoners who fell into
their hands. This report, with tho evidence
addnced in support Of it, fully establishes
the truth Of the reports which have been
made Of such barbarity, and, il possible,
adds 10 the enormity Of the rebels crimes
against humanity. Nathaniel +. Parker,
captured at Falling Waters, testified that
many prisoners died from sheer neglect,
and many were shot by sentries. DR..
Homiston, surgeon Of the 14ih New York,
was refused permission TO attend the wound
ed men. He and his fellow prisoners re-
ceived no food FOR twenty-four hours at Man
assas. Water was refused 10 the suffering
men, and they wero only relieved by catch
ing rain-water which fell from the roof
Some were left upon the battle field until
Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
Gen. James B. Ricketts,, while lying wound
ed upon the field of battle, heard passing
rebels say "Knock out the brains Of the
d-d Yankee" He afIirms that a num-
Der Of our men we're shot. He saw many
cases of unskillful smputation, and heard a
rebel doctor say he "wished be could cut
out the hearts Of the d--d Yankees as
easily as be could take off their legs" Gen.
Johnson took away the carriage and horses
with which Gen. Ricketts, wife succeeded
in reaching him, and be never returned
them. Louis Francis was bayoDeted while
lying upon his bed. His leg had been
twice smputated. Daniel Bixby, jr, Of
Washington, says that he heard Mrs Pierce
Butler say that she had seen the rebels boil
ing portions of the bodies of the dead, to
obtain their bones as relics, and had seen
drumsticks made Of "Yankees' shin-bones,
as they call them; and that she saw a skull
that one of the New Orleans artillery had,
which he said be was going to send home
to have mounted, aud that be intended to
drink brandy punch out of il the day he
was married, Benjamin Franklin Lewis,
living in the neighborhood, saw many
bodies stripped naked before they were
buried. Negroes said that finger rings
were made of the bones and that the rebels
sold them in their camps. These, and
many other similar facts, lead the commit.
tee, through Hon. B. F. Wade, Chairman,
TO the following conclusions: 4a..
"Thc members of your Committee might
content themselves by leaving this testimony
to the Senate and the people, without a
word of comment, bu. when the enemies Of
a just and generous Government arc at
tempting to excite the sympathy of disloy-
al men in our own country, to solicit the
aid Of foreign Governments by the grosscst
misrepresentation Of the objects of the wal
and of the conduct of the officers and sol
diers Of the Republic, this, the most startl
ing evidence of their iDsincerity and inhu
manity, deserves some notice at our hands
"History will be examined 10 vain for a
parallel to this rebellion against a good
Government, long prepared for by ambi.
tious men, who were made doubly sure OF
success by the aid and counsel of former
Administrations, and by the belief that
their plans were unobserved by magnani.
nous people. They precipitated the war al
a moment when the General Government
had just been changed, under circumstance:
Of astounding per6dy without single reas
enable ground Of complaint, and in the face
of repeated manifestations of moderation
and peace on the part Of the President anc
his friends. They took up arms and de-
clared that they would never surrender un
til their rebellion had been recognized OF
the institutions established by our father,
had been destroyed. The people of the
loyal States, at last convinced that they
could preserve their liberties only by al
appeal to the God of Battles, rushed to the
standard Of the Republic, in response L
the call of the Chief Magistrate.
"Eyery step Of this monstrous treason hai
been marked by violence and crime. NJ
t trsnsgression has been too great, no wrong
too startling for its leaders. They disrc
gard the sanctity Of the oaths they had Ia
ken TO support the Constitution. They re
pudiated all their obligations to the peopl
g oftbe Free States. They deceived and b
trayed their own fellow-citizcns, and crowC
ed their armies with forced levies The
drove from their mist all who would nc
yield to their despotism, or filed their pris
;. ons with men who would not enlist unde
|. their flag. h.
d "They have crowned the rebellion by th
I preparation of deeds scarcely known eve
. TO savage warfare. The Investigations {
/ your Committee have established this fac
e beyond controversy. The witnesses calle
d before us were men of undoubted veracit
e e and character. Some of them occupy hig
e positions in the army, and others high pos
tions 10 civil life, differing in political sent
b ments. Their evidences presents remark
u able concurrence Of opinion and of JUDI
!, ment. Our fellow-countrymen, heretofoI
,r sufficiently impressed by the generosity an
J. forbeaFanee Of the Government Of the Un
s $ ted States, and by the barbarous eharact'
: of the crusade against it, will be shOeke
by the statements of these unimpeache
and unimpeachable witnesses; and forsie
" nations must, with one accord, howev
b. they have hesitated heretofore, consign
is lasting odium the authors Of crimes wbic
p, 10 all their details, exceed the worst exec
ses Of the Sepoys Of India.
n "Inhumanity 70 the living has been Il
I. y leading trait Of tho rebel leaders, but il vi
a. reserved for your COMMITTEES to disclose,
to concerted system, their insults TO Il
be be wounded, and their mutillation and des
:" Grafton Of the gallant dead. Our soldie
he taken prisoners, in honorable battle, ha
er been subjected 10 the most shameful tres
ment. All the considerations that inspi
a cbivalric emotions aud generous consider