The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-12-08
Experience Of a Confederate Surgeon
at the North.
IT. ,h- Editor of the Dispatch

7c the Editor of the Dispatch
aome two or thee hundred Confederate sick and
xounded were Ie0 in WilIiamspor, Md, by the
army Of Northern Virginia when 1t crossed the Po-
fom,ae Sufficient surgeons ana attendance were
left with tlem.~ The churches Of the town were
u.ed as hospitals, Our patients were placed upon
the aoor and on boards across the backs Of the
news, and when we asked tor stray were cOoNy
informed that our urmy had taken az the stray oRl
Of the country yet, when we couId commana ous
.,vn wagons. We Obtained abundance of straw nnd
~, e. bedding. LII consequence Of the pressure
mag n ~, ,hs Soards cur wounded sufeTed from ex-
r'.ssvo Sedsores. Some were a. large o. the rin
of a mans hat Others exposed tue spinous pLo
casses Of the backbone In many Instances the
cesses uara ,hus worn ont until death relieved
tr%sm Tn a week we were ordered to move our
hnsoita,s 10 Hs2ersioWn, six miles distant. Esety
surgeon protested asanst tneii ien1sa, ~ tue ~"
name Of humanity. We Informed the fedetal a,l
,anr,,ies ihof our patients were len behsnd oniy
hecause they were deemed TOO severely Wo.nusa ..s
% he amoyed al all Neverthsisss, Gen; Sniilh'
commanding &c; peisces IL ,be EoSr House a.
noser.,own. which was badly ventilated. Ine
wes,her was very warm and close guafa was
Dlacsd around the building. None, neltne! nurse,
patient or ss.eaan. were au from .he brutality Of
,hair captors. Although the ladies 81 lEe toXh
brought provisions and cordia's In aDnnaanSs
were forbidden udmittance and what lney DIous.'
excluded. Men emaclatsd from suppuraiion al
,sndins amputa,Ions linen exhausted from feyeT-
ali aiife susred from insufficient food and H'mu-
Ina. eometimes having bus one meal DAY ana ho
s,;r,uIus FOR hours and hours, even days.
Vohn nellie, Of Philadelphia, who was Medi-
Dr.. treated Us most inhumanIy. nc
cal ee into the ."spI' booted and sPss'sa n
cowhide in hand, making gree. ""'ss' 80. ~
discomfort of the wounded. He os~~:ea e'e.x
man,s hair 10 be cut threequartsrs OF an inch '.;
without regard 70 its utility In treatment ANA
when many-among them momcers-reinsed 10 oDey
smch an order, he became most insulting, favins
and threatening a. If he intended TO cownide tne
reheiitous. In iive days our patients were again
moved. During their removal one man, suffering
from n compound, comminuted fracture OF tne
shieh. fAtnted from the agony caused ny ms re
ssrSv.t vhsn his surgeon refused 10 take the 70
.rcn.ihiiitv of eupsrintending his semava! yet nc
~. navel before ne recovered his consciousness
h. ,he Federal authorities. In ine meanum: o.,
sHe nmrses were taken away a. prisoners ~ Ma.,
s.A M one left 20 attend the men, none o. wu"n ,
cos,,d wait upon Of help themselves. .! umes ~
Ma M morphine, snd nevss su1elcns Pun.
-" ,.s.. Ahoue ef,is unas ] was 0rdercd 70 re-
uIu.' nn IN .hr Provost Marshai Of Baltimore
Rn" learned Afterwards from. the rsnsinine sus
s.nns IN al became sick from me tous sis,
~ .rssciss. Ae., aad many patients IeH ~ s :.
- c-n ward nsasly wsli, no longer se!S."". ~ .g
y .sssesion. eick ensd and died from the s1
s.ie ~ ~ sens raUses. The Feden, y. -.
s.sHs,3 IN reostnlng surgeons 70 Msin y In1rs n.
S..ssss ONs beIni s,ck y bea seqseags. = .ss "s
ssss;c1 Il. = s9holsnes. Ihsx o.ees ~ .n. mns