The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-04
FROM FIELD AND HOSPIT1L.
Burial of the Confederate Dead FROM the
Battle of Williamsburg.
Richmond. Dec. 2. 1892.


Richmond, Dec. q 1882.
Editor % The Times:
Permit me to correct an error IN your
CORRESPONDENTS account Of the recent
trip to Williamsburg, in regard to the
number Of men whose bones are BURIED
in the Episcopal church-yard. and also
of the circumstances Of their removal
from the green surrounding the Baptist
church
For some months preceding the battle
had been in Williamsburg on Visit 20
my brother and sister, MI ana MISS
Thomson While / was there the Ooh-
federate hospitals for the Peninsula were
established in that place. Beng ueeply
interested in our soldiers, and anxious 10
aid them in every way in my power
much of my time was given TO nursihS
and caring for the sick; and when the bat
tie of Williamsburg occurred as soon as
they commenced bringing in the wounded
and dying | was with them, nor ever lost
sight OF them while one remained. There
fore l speak of what | do know.
The morning after the battle my broth
er. T. NJ Thompson, went over TO the
court house, across the green from MS
house. There ne found twenty-five bodies
OF men who had been, l suppose, brought
from the battlefield mortally wounded
and who had died in the night, and when
the enemy were about TO bury in the open
lot surrounding the Baptist church. lie
requested them 10 wait till he could oD-
tain permission and make arrangements
TO have them taken to the cemetery ana
buried there. He did obtain this permits
sion. but OIL his return 70 the courthouse
found the enemy during his absence had
buried the bodies in the pits which they
had already dug. These twenty-five were
the first ConfedcTatcS buried on the green
near the Baptist church.
II is impossible 20 describe the scenes
Of horror and confusion which reigned IN
the hospitals for several days after the
battle. Every place filled with tue dead,
dying or wounded. without medicine,
nurses or food except what the citizens
could supply, McLlcllans army blocking
the streets from early dawn tin dark, 50
that it was almost impossible TO cross the
street. Nothine could exceed the kindness
Of the citizens. who shared their meagre
stock of provisions win TIE wounded. 4
know many deprived themselves in or
der TO minister 10 their wants. 1t was
nearly a week before McClellan's wagon
train came up, and l shall never be able
to tell how we managed TO keep so many
wounded ard starving men alive, so that
several days elapsed before l was able
to make list of those who remained. IN
this interval quite a number died and were
likewise buried in the pits by the Baptist
church near the first twenty-five.
About two days after the battle at the
first possible moment, with a pencil and
paper | went from one wounded man TO
another, taking down the name, regiment
and company Of each one, ard subse-
quently noted down the death end burial
OF each one as it occurred in the hospital
This list ] carefully preserved, and
month or two ago sent II 10 my friend.
Mrs. Coleman, to be placed with other
relics OF the war in the Oid Powder House
In Williamsburg. / do not remember the
exact number OF those who died in the
Baptist church (the aforementioned reg
lister will tell, but including the twenty
five bodies buried the day after the battle
and those who died in the few days imme-
diately following, before l made out the
list. the number must certainly have been
at least one hundred
After the battle ] was very much sur
prised at the concern the wounded men
expressed at the idea Of being thrown
into these pits without Christian burial,
and | promised them faithfully that so
far as l could accomplish Il. they should
have Christian burial. and that II | lived
TO see the end OF the war I would have
their bones placed in consecrated ground.
Tnls seemed TO comfort them, and unless
the dead were hurried into the ground as
soon as the breath left the body (Which
Frequently occurred my good friends The
Revs. Mr.. Blair and Amber and Hall. OF
the Vi. l.. church, were always ready 10
read the services of the Church at the
graves
After the end Of the war my first
thought was TO collect funds to redeem
my promise OF removing the bodies 10
consecrated ground, and through the as
sistance Of friends who had fought
through the struggle ! collected $l2.
With this | went 10 work, and having
obtained permission Of the rector and
Vestry Of Bruton church, | engaged Mr.
Pearce, Of williamsburg, 70 superintend
the removal OF the bones TO the church
yard Of the Episcopal church. After
doing this / had $50 left. Thinking
l might die and there would be nothing
10 record the memory of those who had
so bravely and faithfully died FOR us.
| asked and obtained permission 70 place
a small memorial tablet u their memory
in the Epicopal church. This l cid, and
up 10 this time 1t is the only record OF as
true heroism as ever dignihed our race.
The papers stated that about a dozen
bodies were removed by the efforts of
the Confederate Memorial Society and
reinterred in the church yard. AT the
time OF this removal there was no Con-
federate Memorial Society, and instead
Of a dozen bodies being removed there
were the bones of nearly, or quite 100
men. filling seven or nine large boxes
q forget which,, about five feet long, two
wide and eighteen inches deep. On open
ing the pits at the Baptist Church the
remains were so mingled that we thought
1t best TO have these burial cases pre-
pared. and In them the bones were tender
ly and reverently placed, and all inferred
In one grave, which now forms the large
mound In the Epicopal church yard
After removing the bones and paying
for the mural tablet in the church, l had
still $50 left, which | transferred 10 my
friend. Mrs. Coleman, as a nucleus FOR the
monument fund, which she Is endeavoring
TO raise, and am truly gratihed TO hear
that there is n good prospect or proper
monument being erected TO commemorate
not only the bravery of our soldiers, but
the patience and constancy with which
they bore their Untold sufferings and
agonizing deaths.
feel that this statement Is due not
only 10 the generous friends who Entrusted
me with the money. but TO myself 10 show
that Il was faithfully and properly APP
piled to the best OF my Judgment and