Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-06-26
"A rnIp 10 YASxEE LAND.

experience Of DR.. Bates of the 10Th Alabama Regi-
hent who remeined With Lieut. Col. Henry FoTney, who
was wounded In the battle at Williamsburg. Dr.. Bates
stayed Williamsburg about ten days. then cent TO
Washington City prisoner, bu In charge Of sone
of our wounded, frs: into hospital, was then i'm
prsoned awhile then paroed for the District of Ooldu
oiabext Ia'oled 70 come home and finally discharged
Internationally. Leaving Washington, he came to Bal
| tmore, where be stopped at Barnums Hotel, came
thence to Fortress Monroe next sent up the James
River to City Point, where he waS put ashore-walked
from there 10 Petersburg, where be took the train Tor
Redmond. The Doctor had quite an interesting trip to
Yankee land. and being handsome fellow with good
gift of CAB" and great deal Of good humor he got
| on with toe Yankees finely.
There some portions Of this letter which we do
think it eIpedent to rcpublish but the following ex
tracts will be found interesting:
At Williamsburg our Surgeons had made hospital
Of that celebrated old building William and Mary Col
lege To this building Lieut. COL Forney was carried,
with many Of wounded, and several Yankees who
had been captured. The Surgeons decided that Col
Porney too badly Injured TO bear transportation
the horrible roads be passed over where able
bodied fell and houndered in the mud, and had to
be pulled out aud and smbuances could ecarce-
ly be pulled through at all DR.. Bates decided to csi
his lot with the Colonel and as our troops departed and
the Yankees we're coming in made himself assduous In
his attentions to ths wounded squad Of the enemy
soon came hurying in, and inquired who were there
aud what they dsing They next asked the Doctor
how to get top Of the building to hoist flag. He
| told them he had not been up there and did
not know anything about it, and applied himself more
diligently In his attentions to the wounded. The yam.
KEGS were jubant over the retreat Of army, and
many Of them talked Of going right ION to Richmond
but finally concluded not 10 do IL just then. Several
ofHcrrs visited Colonel Forney and finally General
Mcclellan came In. Some OF them were old schoomates
oil General John II. Forney, and learning that the Colo
mel his broher inquired much about him, and treat
| ed the Colonel with great deal OF kindness he as
| sured him he should have every attention, and any
quarters ia Williamsburg aud much he pleased
Inc Oolones ebony boy zsnss Was terribly frightened,
and commenced crying from the fear Of being carried
of by the Yankees from "Mas Henry" but he suf
ered TO remain take Of his wounded MASTER and
up TO the latest accounts, still With him. The CHI
Of Williamsburg, especially the ladies, mnistered
freely to the surirgs and wants OF our wounded. The
Federal Surgeons came In to lock after the
wounded and visited Colonel Forney, and rendered
| their services TO him. The wounded were shortly
alter placed under the control OF tho Yankee Surgeons
Afer which DR.. Baes played subordinate part, protes
0onaly merely nursing, dressing, and looking alter the
wants Of the wounded. he boarded at private house
Ia William ssurg, receiving every kindness from the
Williamsburg people, whom be represents as staunch in
their allegiance 10 the Oonfederacy, Notwithstanding the
presence Of the enemy. A M,jor DRight wounded
captured by troops during the 6gl and sent into
Williamsburg along with cur wounded and occupied
position near Col Forney Dr.. Bates attended 10 hia
Wan anu hu1 oOVu ueCamo uSqu
and on good terms When army left their wounded
and the Yankees in the Major told Dr. Bates ii he
got ino any trouble TO LEI him know aud be would help
him Of It This turned out we'll for subsequently in
Washington when the Dccor sent to prison for re-
usng do drudgery IN the Hospital at the bidding OF
some Medical Cadets, uLA dyed Docs Major Dwight
a. once nlerposed and had him plroled for the city.
The condition OF thrgs board the transporsto Wash
ngton is described horrible; where the wounded Yam
and Souherners lay rs close as they could be pack
1 k,s-, drfTn ia 0rr
friend sent into hospital occupied partly BY Ysa
and partly by Southerrers The Doctor oears tes-
tmony 10 the uniform kndness Of the eDemy 10 cur
wounded They kindly cared for and vel treated
everywhere by their capors and rarely received 40 un
KIND word exc; pt from occasional ignorant and Vul
gar fellow He states that the respectable people never
annoy our men With discussions Of Secession :; that
sometimes a plymouth politician" some ignurant
fellow would endeayor TO deliver lecture on the wick
odness OF Secession and the enormiy OF lighting Against
tho "0d Flag" Our men soon found pen y OF friends
/ 10 Washington. Tee Secession ladies were open and
oroluse in their attentions, aud lavish il supplying the
walts OF the wounded prisoners that the authorities in
erfer,d and ally forbid their visits. He says IL Is
true as published in the Northern papers, that il was not
uncommon TO see wounded Sou.herners surrounded by
groups Of ladies in rustlng silks furnishing them all
sorts Of deicaces, books, papers H., while many poor
Northern hreings lay with such attendance as the hos
| pita furnished.
After leaving the prison he lived ct Browns Hotel,
without being troubled with "your bill and had his
| pockets full Of money.
The Doctor saw the great magician, Seward who pulls
the wires and old Abe and Mrs Lincoln, several times.
Abe he deecribes everybody elss does, long,
awkward, and Kangaroo looking person. Mrs Lincoln
was out in her carriage frequently, aud is geniee,
quiet Auisble locking, middle aged lady. The Doctor
thinks she has been misepresented by newspaper cor
respondents He did not near single Secession lady
speak disrespecilul,y or unkindly Of her,
Toe newspaper wrters politicians and wire puLers Of
the Lincoln dynt sty violent abusive aud vindiclye
towards southerners and succeed in stirring up their
followers and keeping up their power, while there is
ArPe Gloss OF harpes in tue form OF Office holders ms.
ufacureTs contractors and Spectators who fiten-
Jog on the war. Many of the soberer and intel-
gent people arc heartily tired Of the war and despond.
ent OF faal SUGGEST The most marvellous reports Of
great victories often u into circulation especially
| on the sailing Of European steamer Great handbils
are stuck about the Streets containing these announce
/ msnte.
Ths Doctor managed by little adroitness to avoid
beiug pAroled not TO tel anything heard,
queLty is free in his communin Ations being
| meed. While they were parolng the others he man.
aged to be very busy talking to Yankee lady and
| overlooked.
In Baltimore DR.. Bates found plenty OF friends. l, Ia
only necessary to be known that you balo0g to the
| Southern army.
They are compelled TO keep mum, as the sword Of the
abolition Government hangs over them. But 10 their
private crcles clubs aud little social parties they erjoy
their sentiments and discuss matters aud wait and hope
for "beter day coming si ging my Maryland" "the
| Bonnie Blue Flag" and other Southern songs. 0oe
noble yourg ciPTe ccsr in the prison q. Washington
seats hin slf in bis prison window Of evening" and
pours forth my Maryland" to the pIssng crowd in de
/ lar ce Of jlilors and guards.
McClellAn's army about ninety thousand strong.
II has been reduced than twenty thousand by dis
ease and battle. All the drilled troops being re-
moved from the FORTH cations and pests to make up his
loss, and their places filed by recruits militia 1t is
expected to reinforce the army by this 10 its er
gna strength
YASKEE OAUGHr The New York Commercial says
that not long ago certain officer was attached to the
army of the Potomac who resigned his position for the
purpose Of barking in the enterprise Of selling fancy