Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-01-23


REBLL B,RBlRur.-Surgeon Writ, Medi
cal Director Of the 18th Army Corps, in hi
report a Gen. Grant after Holly Spring
wa occupied by the rebels under Van Don.
Dee. ~, says, having MADE formal reques
to Gen. Van Dorm that the Annory Hcepits
shou.d no. bE buried
81 ! received the assurance bv General Var
Dorn'- Adjutant that the Armogy HOspita
should not be burnt. but that 1t would be
protected by guard. Satisfied with this.
returned 20 my quarters. but had not beer
there an hour when Aas informed that the
building was in flames and thus this fine
structure, with two thousand hunks, an i'm
mense lot Of drugs and surgical apparatus,
/ thousands Of blankets, sheets and bed-Sacks,
was soon in ashes.
." This proeesdins in violation OF an eK-
press promise, ana Of all rules of Civilized
warfare, IS an evidence Of the barharity and
want IT principle IN the Confederate officers.
But this was not all An attempt Was made
TO destroy the General Hospital. located on
the main square, and which at the time con-
tained Over fye hundred sick
81 quantity Of ordnance stores had been
deposited in the building Cn :hs rex, block to
the hospital, and by the order Of Gen. Van
Dom, as stated by the officer who bad charge
Of the matter, tie barrels Of powder and
boxes containing shell and cartridges, were
taken out ard piled Up nearly in front of the
hospital and set IRE =,
Two medical officers protected against
this wanton act, bat their requests were
treated with contempt, and before there was
time 10 remove the sick the walls and win
dows of the hospital were riddled with fiving
halls ana shell, and finally terrific explo-
sion took place which shook the entire build
ing, destroying almost etvrt window and
door in the establishment. woundins about
twenty men. and creating a Scene of the
widest confusion.
q \ large number Of buildings On the pub
lic square took fire from the explosion, and
II was only by the utmost efforts that the
hospital was preserved as a shelter for the
men in the night cir.
" "T,sether with the medical officers who
assisted me in caring for the sick and wound
Ell on that trying day. ! thought that .hc
rebels had now done US all the harm in their
power. bat To injury insult vas TO he added
IN a manner hope never to witness again.
\ rebel cavalry o'icer named Brewster, who
stated he had been detailed By General Van
Dom 70 march off every sick man that had
MT been parolcd, collected together. pistol
in hand, about onc hundred and fifty sick
soldier, forced them TO risc from their beds
and ia'l in line, threatening {, shoot the mo
dical ofhcer who cxIostulsted with him. and
actually made the poor fellow, suffering
from typhoid fever, pneumonia and darrhoa,
start with MIN on the road The men fell
down a. t't street and bad - risc again for
fear oi being shot, when they were - weak .
thut lhe -lishts-t motion was asanv. On
beins imp1riunel II there Waa anything in
the usmc % humanity that could II. don, to
stop lii brutal psuceciiag,. be- finally CON
seutud g, ict them al me- ou reccivinsa paper.
signed hy all the surgeons present, stating
that tie men were 20, sick 10 walk. and that
their removal wa- an impo-sibility"