Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-06-18
THr Cas-, on pa. HAYS AND TIE See AND

THR CAsR on On. HAYS AND TIE See AND
WOUNDED soLDrrRs.-Dr Hays makes the fol-
lowing statement in relation to the charges against
him Of neglecting the sick and wounded soldiers
under bis care:
On Tuesday, the 10th Instant, rode to Lursv,
Virginia. from Front ROYAL. q distance of IS
niles, reaching Lurav about O'Clock In the a.
;ernoon. The wounded from the battle at Port
Republic were then being brought In, and i'm
meaiately entered upon the most arduous Iabors
If attending to the necessities OF the wounded
Through that afternoon and the night following,
my labors were almost incessant NV labors Of
"Wednesday were equally fatiguing with those Of
Tuesday night, having the entire DUTY Of estab-
fishing hospital thrown upon me- In the midst
Of this and anxiety, received orders to have
all the wounded under my care, that could be
transported, ready, with two days rations each,
It O'Clock the following morning, to be trans
ported to Front Royal. This order was received
by me about O'Clock on w ednesday ht and
the time allotted me In which to make these
preparations, allowed me but little rest sleep.
After preparing the train, rations, and what few
hospitaI stores could be obtained, the labor of
loading these wounded men into the wagons can
be better imagined that described. The train
was not ready to start until noon on Thursday;
and that day we drove over the most wretched
roads distance Of fourteen miles. We stopped
for the night In a clover field, where rstions
Were cooked and distributed. We reached Front
Royal on Friday about noon, with 325 sick and
wounded soldiers. Here they Were unloaded
from the wagons. Hospitals were prepared,
rations cooked, and the wounds Of all dressed
My orders were to report to the senior medical
officer at Front Royal, leave the sick and wounded
Il the hospitals there, and rejoin my regiment az
,oon as possible. reported to Brigade Surgeon
Cox, and be declined receiving the sick and
wounded, having received orders from General
Ricketts, requiring his services at the headq uar-
ters Of bis brigade. After reporting to Surgeon
Cox, perhaps my duty required me TO return to
my command-humanity demanded that should
e. 81 -
did.
Inmediately On arriving at Front Royal, I re-
ported to Surgeon Cox, and be telegraphed 10 the
Surgeon General at Warrington l also, on the
General for orders. On Saturday, abouts O'Clock,
Surgeon Cox received a reply from the Surgeon
General, when Immediately telegraphed to the
Surgeon General at Washington, stating the hour
when the train would leave Front oval for Wash
ington. We left Front Rovsl about twenty min
utes after eleven q. m. At Manassas We gave the
men their dinner; and here 1 again telegraphed
the Surgeon General, SAYING the train would ar
rive at Washington with the sick and wounded
that evening between eight and nine O'Clock
At Alexandria We were delayed about one hour
waiting for an engine, and did not reach Wash
,"pt"n until between nine and ten O'Clock satur-
day night.
here, 10 my utter establishment, found neither
ambulsnce or wagon, surgeon or attendants in
waiting. In fact, not the slightest evidence of
preparation fer our arrival had been made
stranger In a strange city, ade ell the hate
possible to Ind the ONCE Of the Surgeon General
That found closed, and was unable to ascertain
the locality Of his residence. After making every
search In my power for some one In authority 70
take charge Of the sick and wounded returned
TO the train. Here found the kind psople OF the
neighbt rhood in attendance, doing all In their
power to make the poor fellows under nv charge
comfortable as possible under tie Circumstance
Many were then being taken to the churches and
houses that had been 30 generously opened for
them. They were made az comfortable an IL was
In my power that night to make them. NY as
sistant surgeons urged me to get to bed and oct
some rest, and report early as possible in the
morning They said (and I knew it) there was
no use In my remaining longer, and about four
o'clock In the morning went to bed Before
the Surgeon General was at his of &c In the morn
ing, was there TO make my report and receive
my orders. Immediately upon making INV re.
port and receiving my orders, (Which TO me an.
peared strange when considering that the Sur
geon General was telegrapehd Of their coming
my orders from the surgeon General Were 10 and
and report to the Medical Director and he would
send ambulances,) returaed TO my charge and
found them exceedingly comfortable and cheer
full.
This morning (Monday) charges were preferred
against me, by the Medical Director and Surgeon
General, (without notifying me Of the fact al.
leging gross neglect OF duty; and the Secretary
Of War ordered my name TO be struck from The
rolls, without allowing me to make either argu.
ment or defence. Under these circumsta nee.
with these facts existing, ask my friends, ash
.ae Puoi,c' II all NOS oeing sacrlnced In order
to shield some one in a position much higher
than i, from charges Of gross negligence, Am
not made the sea pc goat Of other mems sins
Who are the men IL lucrative Offices, who shout d
have prepared most bountfully for the receptiop
OF these sick and wounded soldiers, AK tht
sick men, the wounded men themselves II ne
elected them. Ask the assistant surgeons and
attendants. They know IL | skirked nv work OF
stunned any responsibility; and let them and thu
void say II the man who watched over these
poor fellows, day and night, for almost a week
ought TO be disgracsd because somebody failed
TO provide for their comfort here
ID. 8 HAYS,
Surg 10th Reg't Penn. Vols.