Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-07-08
Statement of Refugee from Richmond.

Correspondence OF the New York Herald.
WASHINGTON, July Cdr. ID. G. Oliver,
formerly of Wisconsin, and more recently of
Mississippi, who was impressed into the rebel
service at the beginning of the war, and since
the battle of Bull Run has been acting as as
sstant surgeon in the rebel army, reached
here to-day. He was detailed in charge of
twenty-five ambulances filed with wounded
to go to Lynchburg. Being possessed of the
countersign, he determined to take advantage
of the confusion to get away. He bribed Il
negro in Richmond to swap clothes with him,
and after passing the pickets, by means Of the
countersign, he tramped to Fredericksburg and
got into the lines of the Union army at that
point. He has had good opportunity to OBJ
serve the condition of affairs in rebellion.
He states that the entire white male popula-
ton OF the south, between the ages of fifteen
and forty, have been forced into the army.
The conscripton there is a reality. Numbers
who are in arms are doing duty unwillingly,
and would gladly get away from the tyranny
OF the Davis autocracy. DIR. Oliver has been
IN Richmond for the last two months. The
rebel force in Virginia is estimated at fully
two hundred and fifty thousand. They admita
loss OF twenty-five thousand men in the re-
cent battles. They are subsisting on what is
termed half rations, by which is meant only
the substantialS, without any small stores.
They have an abundance of bacon, rice and
corn, but no salt nor coffee. nor other small
stores that go to make up a soldiers rations.
Their supply of whiskey was pretty well ex-
hausted.
The doctor states that much depression was
produced by president Lincoln's call for three
hundred thousand additional troops. The
opinion prevailed that if they were promptly
furnished the rebel game would be ended.
They have exhausted their resources for sol
ders, and would be unable to contend against
fresh army Of that size. Their hope is that
this call will not be promptly responded to by
volunteers, but that there will be sufficient de-
lay to afford an opportunity for foreign inter-
vention before they are forced to give up. DR..
Oliver says the rebel plan of fighting is not
With reserves. but by retreats in the field, and
that in every battle regiments are regularly
relieved by fresh troops, after having fought
Tor little while. In this way it was hoped to
wear out and tire down the troops under Nc
Clellan. 1t is seldom that the same regiments
have been allowed to engage twice in the same
battle. The rebels have concentrated nearly
all their available troops at Richmond, except
so much Of Beauregards army as stopped at
Charleston, and about thrty-fve thousand of
the same army left in Mississippi.
The rebels are terribly afraid of the gun
boats. They reckon one gunboat equal to a
whole division on land. They admit that the
recent movement of Gen. Mcclellan was a
mastery stroke of policy, and that his present
position is infinitely stronger than the one he
abandoned. 1t is his impression that no fur
Their attack will be made upon him where he
is. The rebels are sending their wounded
and prisoners to the interior. There is no
room for them in Richmond, and medical
stores are exceedingly scarce DIR. Oliver
was obliged to dress wounds and amputatons
with only cold water and bandages. The re-
ported death of Stonewall jackson is untrue.
Dr. Oliver saw him alive and well in Rich
mond on Tuesday night jeff. Davis went to
Raleigh to see his family.