The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-08-25
EvEHTs OF THE waR.
AN EVERYDAY scene rnox rnE coxscR

AN EVERYDAY scene FROM THE CoSseRrp-
TON FARCE IN rnE UNITED STATES.
The Philadelphia Ledger gives one
days scene at the Surgeons Office in that
city, where the drafted men and subsli.
stutes are examined before being passed y
We make an extract:
Many attempts at fraud are made Men
unit for service sell themselves as subst;.
tntes, ioolishly supposing themselves able
10 eonceai tneir intirmities. They little know
the ordeal through which they must pass
Ihcy entirely overlook the fact that sur
geoh IN I'VE minutes can overhaul them as
matchmaker Oscrhauls q watch There is
abundant attempt at fraud all around
Drilled men claim disqualification on the
ground OF disability, and men who want sub
stuute money endeavOr to conceal their all
ments Both call into practices the utmost
skin OF the surgeon making the exnmina
ti0n
The substitute, upon presenting himself
i0f az ceptance, is taken into room, where he
digrobes himself The SURGEON begins with
his teeth, and examines his whole body down
to his toes. The examination is even more
searching than the examination Of all appli
cant for policy OF insur nee upon his life
by life insurance eompany's surgeon. If
the front teeth are gone, SO that man can-
not bite off a cartridge paper, he cannot be
aIevpscG ION irseaHs; irssas 4.-.yiee. He may do
for q trooper. Every limb is examined. II
the lungs are unsound, the temperament ap
oplectic, or the system wasting, the Govern
ment does not want the man either as q vol
unteer, conscript, or a substitute.
The applicant is made TO throw himself
into various attitudes. His toes and fingers
must be practically perfect. He is made 10
pick up grain OF corn from the ground
without bending his knees; to stand upon
the points of his toes, and to show that he
is perfect ia lis anatomy. II he stands this
test he is accepted, and release is given to
the man who brings him. The substitute
then receives his money, and is taken into
the custody of a guard lie is then United
States soldier for three years.
AT Capt Lehman's office yesterday we saw
some humorous incidents. A man about 40
years of age came limping into the office
He wanted exemption.
"What ails yourleg?" was the first qucs-
ton.
''Why, it's still, that air leg is ats been
stih nigh on two year"
"What makes il stiH?'
"Why, reckon it's the rheumats, Doc
tor. That leg aint gotnp more Joint in it
than crowbar."
well, we'll see. Step outside there and
Wen look at you"
"Oh, you need Mt give yourselves no trou
bic. Kin jest roll up my trousers leg right
here"
1--WE don't do matters that way Walk into
that room. We want to see that leg; per
haps we can cure it, We've performed some
remarkable cures lately"
The man didn't want to 90 into the ROOM
but saw there guard ut hand likely to en-
force the order. So he went in He stripped
exposing very dirty hide to the sunlight
The doctor looked at the leg and formed his
own conclusions. lie asked the man more
questions, and received positive answer that
the limb was immovabiy stitiened, the result
of rheumatism.
''You must take ether, my man. can
cure You Of this Stiffness" said the doctor.
81 reckon you hain't got no right to do no
thin Of that kind" said the man. IL come
here with stiff leg. You can see | haint lit
for sojcrin, nohow, and you haint got no
right to piZen me neither"
1--WE have the right to prevent sneaks and
liars from evading the duty of every citizen,
and we are gong to test the truth of what
yOu have been saying"
The man grew very ugly. The sponge of
ether was brought and applied, but lie push
ed it away. Five men were required ut last
to hold him down, but the ether was applied
and the man at last rendered insensble To
accomplish this required I full bottle OF ether
The surgeon was satisfied the man was sham
ming About his leg there WAS not the least
rigdity. 1t was in all respects perfect
When hc came TO consciousness the man was
told that until his substitute was procured
he was considered Il eonscript. He was eX-
ceedingly surprised that his deception was
unmasked.
Another man followed him, who wished to
be a substitute, upon whose limbs were big
nodulcs, like spavins upon horse. He was
an lrishman The doctor saw at a glance that
he was unsound, and dismissed him with q
sharp reproof for his stupidity in presenting
himself
The next was little man, who claimed to
be ruptured. The removal Of his clothing dis
closed a.truss with pads about as big us tea
sauccrs, large enough TO cover a first-class
rupture upon the Belgian giant The doctor
could find no sign of any rupture, but rs Il
rupture sometimes descends or recedes, the
man was told to sit down for while. In
half an hour, if it existed, it would be per-
ceptible The man sat down, iz 1,'ti'is aatn-
,uiib,s, upon 4 chair, trembling like leaf
But the rupture didn't show itself. The sur
geon said that if he could bring respectable
medical certificate of rupture existing, it
should have due weight The man left, say
ing he would get it, He appeared honest.
Out of about thirty whom We thus saw ex-
amined yesterday morning, more than doz-
eli were badly ruptured, fact which shows
that dealers in trusSes do q lively business.
One fellow had voluntarily relinqnished his
front teeth to escape conscription. 10 his
unutterable diSMay ne was accepted Tor cav
airy service. He was evidently a coward.
When he found himself caught his knees
smote together, and his face paled 10 the
whiteness Of the paper on which the surgeon
wrote his game and condition. He was in
splendid health. The gums from which the
sound teeth had been violently drawn had
not yet receded into position. Very few
colored men apply for release. When drawn
they 90 or else bring substitutes, aud few of
them do this.
JOHNsON's 5 IsLAND-THE CONFEDERATE PRis-
OSERs THERE.
Johnsons Island, the new Yankee
prison, not heard of till lately in the
Confederate States, is thus described in
the Chicago Tribune:
This beautiful island, which the rebels and
the Copperheatls call "I.incoln's Bastile," is
situated in the bosom of Lake Elie, near the
west end, and in full view of Sandusky city,
Ohio.
Immediately after the commencement OF
the war the United States rented thirty acres
of land lying southwest and facing upon the
bay, at an annual cost OF $500, during the
continuance Of the rebellion. They then eli
closed fourteen acres with board fence
fourteen feet high, erecting within two rows
of barracks which, with other buildings, OF,
iicers' ana soldiers quarters, hospital and
com.nissary accommodations, cost s4O,O
BY the side of the fence, four feet from the
top, n platform is erected, four feet wide,
thu is patrollcd by sentinels continually
,nl.a ,,n.nhar nnon IL ia eighteen who are re.