Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-01-31

only was tnere any Qeuclency. ana these
had already ordered by telegraph some
days before, and was anticipating their
arrival on the evening Of the 18th. am
happy to add, however, that they did not
arrive according to expectation.
On the morning of the Goth, at early
dawn, force Of the enemy's cavalry, un-
der General Van Dorm, $500 strong, en-
tered the town with scarcely a shadow OF
resistance, and held mad riot therein the
livelong day. That Quartermaster's COM
missary and ordnance stores should be re-
moved or destroyed was to be expected
We hoped, however, that the hospital
and its equipments would be spared
Such was not the case. Hospitals and
Purveyor's offices were burned to the
ground. All Government stores, beyond
what could Ee taken away by the mounted
sssailants, were destroyed, with the excep-
ton Of relatively small quantity Of pro-
visions, which the inhabitants Of the town
had stolen during the days tumult, and
Eecreted in their dwellings.
The sick on land at the time had been
accommodated, after a fashion, in q mod
erate-sized hotel building on the Public
Square. Stores and hospital furniture
had been but sparingly distributed among
them, for the reason that they. were so
soon to be removed to a place of abund-
snce. Only the very sick were adequately
furnished. This arrangement, obviously
increased facilities of removal, and seemed
reasonable enough. The event proved it
to be signslly unfortunate.
No attempt was made that lam aware Of
to FIRE any buildings containing sick To
increase the discomfort Of the poor fellows
In 7tir5 -iIOUef on that doyj the building con
tanning q very heavy stock Of ammunition
on the adjacent side Of the public square,
was set on fire about three o'clock in the
afternoon. Fragments Of exploding shells
began to speedily fill the neighborhood
with danger. The hospital was thorough
-ly exposed. No particular damage was
done to it. however, and no person was
injured until about four o'clock in the
afternoon. at that time occurred a gene
raj and tremendous explosion of the re-
naming ammunition, completely demol-
ishing what was left Of the burning build
ing, and all the other structures in the
block. Great numbers Of other buildings
were irreparsbly damaged, and the de-
voted hospital suffered as much as any
All the windows on the front were blown
in, and the fragments strewn over multi
tudes of sick. Happily no one was seri.
ously injured by the missiles. could not
learn that any of the patients were made
permanently worse by the excitement
through which they passed.
Let me reeur now for moment to nv
own experiences on that day. Nv store
room was on the Public Square, exactly
opposite the hotel hospital.
In common with others, was compelled
to accept an unreasonable early visit from
the flushed and triumphant enemy. On
opening my door in response to their
somewhat clamorous calling, my eve met
alta glance the green scarf Of a surgeon.
The wesrer proved to be Van Dorn's Med
ical Director. beckoned to him, and he
responded promptly and courteously. His
manner was at once digni6ed and friend
~ Iexplained to him my position and
function, and showed him the stores had
on hand. He professed to be familiar with
the purposes and operations Of the United
States Sanitary Commission, and express
ed frank and hearty commendation Of
the same. He assured me that neither
myself or nay stores should be molested.
thanked him, and he rode away. 1 re-
mained standing in the door few mo-
ments, and was presently accosted by an
officer, whose name and rank 1 did not
learn. In answer to his questions, re-
peated what had just said to the surgeon.
he also assured me that neither myself
nor my stores could be properly seized
From that time forward had nothing to
sPprNhend except from riotous soldiers,
who knew little and cared less about the |
usages Of civilized warfare. was visited |
at intervals by squads Of privstes, during |
the rest Of the day up to the time the ex- |
plosion of the magazines commenced, but |
not again by any officer. Only one man |
Of them all treated me otherwise than civ |
lily That one, already intoxicated, in /
sisted on helping himself to the only |
Liquors had in sight, viz: q few bottles |
Of current wine. He took three bottles
This is the sum total of my losses on |
that day. l had, to be sure, but few stores
On hand, but they proved of exceeding
value subsequently. As an entirely un-
usual circumstance there had been brought
TO my rooms few days previous by acci-
dent some l8 boxes Of medical stores al
ready purveyed and directed to particular
regiments. On seeing them there, l had
resolved on retaining them until I should
ind their proper owners. They contained
no small variety Of medicines, and several
dozen bottles Of liquors Of different kinds.
These and the Sanitary stores consisting
Of few boxes Of canned fruit g few Of
Tried, two dozen shirts, as many blankets,
boxof towels and dozen pair Of draw
ers, two dozen bottles Of current wine
and some other items which I can not
recall, constituted the hospital supplies
n Holly Springs, on December 21st 1862.
These were turned over at once to DR..
Wirtz, of the Hospital-Medicsl Director
giving me a written order to that effect
20 far as the medicines were concerned.
simultaneously with this success Of the
enemy, as you have already learned, sue
,essful attacks were made along the line
If the Mobile & Ohio Railroad. between
Jackson, Tenn, and Columbus, KY, by J
another force. Several garrisons wer'
captured, and a number Of miles b9 e
road destroyed. The Memphis - r. the
on road, west Of LsgrsD~ - Iharles-
closed for months, Ger sc, nav ing been
,atiens with his BE- Il. .Grants communi-
IF. His head .se were effectuslly cut
)vs'ord y; quarters at the time were at
r. ~ -Iss., twenty-sevsn miles south of
llo' Springs, and the bulk Of his army
was massed in the vicinity. He speedily
fell back from that position, leaving no
troops further south than AbbieVille, twelve
miles from Holly Springs. From 500 to
600 sick had accumulated in the General
Hospital at Oxford. These were all brought
to Holly Springs, so that about the middle
of the week succeeding the raid, some ], 200
sick had been massed at the latter place.
Temporary provision was made for their
accommodation, by taking possession at
once, of six of the most spacious, elegant,
and comfortable mansions in the town, a
town by the way which abounds in such
L-;II;n1o