Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-07-16
CLEARFIELD, JULY Is, 1862.
Statement of Refugee from Richmond.

WASHINGTON, July 6.-Dr. ID. G.. Oliver,
formerly of Grant county, Wis, recently OF
Holly Springs, Miss, who was impressed into
the rebel service at the beginning of the war,
and since the battle of Rull Run has been act
ing as assistant Surgeon in the rebel army,
reached here to-day. He had persistently
fused to take the oath of allegiance to the reb
ell Government, but was compelled to do so
on Tuesday last. He detailed in charge
of twenty five ambuances filled with wounded
to go to Lynchburg. Being possessed OF the
countersign, he determined to take advantage
of the existing confusion to get away. He
bribed a negro in Richmond to swap clothes
with him, and after passing the pickets. by
means OF the countersign, he tramped to Fred
ericksburg and got into the lines of the Union
army at that point. He has had good op-
portunity to observe the condition of affairs in
rebeldom.
He states that The entire white male popula-
tion of the South, between the ages of fifteen
and forty, have been forced into the army.
The conscription there is reality. Num-
bers who are in arms are doing duty unwilling
ly and would gladly get away from the tyran-
ny of the Davis autocracy. DR.. 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
admit loss of twenty five thousand in the
recent battles. They are subsisting on what
is termed half rations, by which is meant only
the substantials, without any of the small
stores. They have abundance of bacon,
rice and corn, but no salt nor coffee, nor other
small stores, that go to make up a soldiers
rations.
Since the occupation of the Mississippi by
the Federal forces, cutting off communication
with Texas, their supplies of beef are brought
from Florida. where there is an abundance
of wild cattle. The stock of whiskey is pret-
ty well exhausted. DR.. Oliver says the great
-, -, I.
the Intelligence that President Lincoln had
called out three hundred thousand additional
troops. The opinion prevailed that if these
troops should be promptly furnished the rebel
game would be ended. They have exhausted
their resources for soldiers, and would be un-
able to contend against a fresh army OF that
size. Their only hope is that this call will
not be promptly responded to by volunteers,
but that there will be sufficient delay to afford
an opportunity for foreign Intervention before
they forced to give up.
DIR. Oliver says the rebel plan of fighting is
not with reserve, but by retreats in the field,
and that in every battle, regiments are regu-
larry relieved by fresh troops, after having
fought for a little while. In this way it was
hoped to wear out and tire down the troops
under Mcclellan 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 Beauregard's army as stopped at
Charleston, and about thirty-fi thousand of
the same army left in Mississippi. The rebels
are terribly afraid of the gun-boats. They
reckon one gun boat equal to a whole division
on lasd. They admit that the recent move
ment of Gen. Mcclellan was a mastery stroke
of policy, and that his present position is in
finitely stronger than the one he abandoned.
II is his impression that no further 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 X ich-
mOnd. and medical stores are exceedingly
scarce. DR.. Oliver was obliged to dress
wounds and amputatons with only cold water
and bandages
The reported death of Stonewall Jackson is
untrue. DR.. Oliver saw him alive and well in
Richmond on Tuesday night. JEFF. Davis
went to Raleigh to see his family.