Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-06-20
Alleged AtYocItIea.

o1e OF our exchanges asked recently what
gooa purpose is served by the publication of the
stories OF the alleged atrocities committed by
tne rebels, even supposing the stories to be true
anu we nave sometimes been tempted 10 ask the
same question. One object we suppose TO he
1--WE suppose 1t to be the object of our Govern
menO to restore the Union, but can this object
be promoted BY causing the people of the two
sections OF the country to hate each other. as
tnese stories must, worse than they now do2
Nay, must IL not be retarded, if moi rendered
impossible, II the people of the two sections
are made to believe each other bsrbarians? A
Union to be worth much must be built upon
something besides hatred, and cemented nv
something besides force. The rebels are not
in the least behind us in publishing such stories
as We refer to, and we seem in fair way to be.
come 30 embittered toward each other az TO rem.
der any attempt at reconciliation impossible.
But If the stories of alleged atrocities are
iaoricanons or gross exaggeration, as we have
believed all along that many Of them were,
we consider their publication but little less
man criminal we have never doubted that
tninge nave been done in the excitement of
battle by individuals, or by individuals in cooler
moments, which were disgrace 10 oivilizst;ou
because among the immense number of mon
under arms there must necessarily be anna had
men. The trouble Is that the deeds of these in
dividuals--if We are right in supposipr that tbey
are committed only by indivlduals-sre spoken
Of as If they were committed BY whole armies or
communities, and whole armies or Communities
are consequently holden responsible for them,
But We believe that many Of the stories
are fabricstions or gross exsggerations, and
hence we believe that there should be great
caution in giving publicity to them. Our at
tention has been called to the subject by state
ments of atrocities alleged to have been com
mitted upon Federal sick and wounded troons
during Gen. Banks's recent retreat in Virginia.
and especially at Winchester and MaFtinsburr.
We were told that the rebels set fire to The hos.
pitals while the sick men were in them: that
prisoners were murdered in cold blood: that
while the sick were trying to escape thew were
overtaken by the rebel cavalry and pr { 20 the
sword in the most merciless and cruel manner.
that those who were too weak to be removed
from the hospitals shared the same fate; and
that even several female nurses were shot down
in the most cold blooded manner.
We might extend this tale ef horrors, but
have given enough Of It. Now we consider the
proof to be almost Overwhelming thatit is almost
pure invention. We are told that Col, Kenly.
OF Baltimore, whose command was 10 badly cut
up Of Front Royal, was undoubtedly dead, be-
cause the rebels shot him after he had been
wounded and placed In an ambulance. That
othcer has returned to Baltimore, not seriouslv
injured, having been released on parole of hon.
or. He emphatically contradicts the reports
that the rebels acted inhumanly to our troons.
and 10 chagrined and indignant that such stories
should have been circulated. He was himself
treated with uniform kindness. Gen. Banks
himself says that he is "credibly informed, and
gladly believes, that the atrocities said TO have
been perpetrated upon ouF wounded soldiers by
the rebels are greatly exaggerated or entirely
untrue" member Of the staff OF Col. Miles
OF one OF the Massachusetts regiments. has
written letter on the subject, an extract of
which is published In the Boston Journal. He
gives an emphatic contradiction to the reportu
which have been published Of inhuman treat.
ment OF our sick and wounded soldiers At Win.
chester. He says such stories were circulated
In Virginia, but by those who were flrst 10 Gee
from the rebels and who did none OF the fipht.
ing, "Our prisoners at Winchester" says the
writer, "and more especially our sick and wound
cd, were kindly and humanely treated, and our
physicians and hospital stewards we're kindly
allowed to remain % the hospitals and care for
them, and were found there In comfortable cir.
cumstances by our troops uponour recent Pekurn,
AT Martlnsburg II was the same.p The conclu.
sion OF the extract is as follows; \,
cannot conceive the reason why some re-.
porters have such desire TO underrate ne hu.
manlsy Vt the rebels In general. That in some