The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-07-13
MEDICAL CORPS TO MEET.
Surgeon General Tebault Issues Circular
Directed to Wartime Surgeons.
Atlanta Constitution.

V d., III April, 1OO0, reuueTS Iue IoSIe1
of the medical corps somewhat imper-
feet, hence the need Of concerted
action on the part of the survivors to
bridge this hiatus. The official list Of
the paroled officers and men Of the
Army of Northern Virginia, surren-
dered by General R. E. Lee, April g,
| 1865, furnished 80 surgeons and as
sistant surgeons. In my first report
presented at the Richmond reunion I
showed that the medical roster for the
Army Of Tennessee has been preserved
in duplicate. I shall offer in more
detailed report data to prove indispu-
tably important facts relating to the
prisoners of war upon both sides, with
the purpose of establishing the death
rate responsibility in the premises.
It will suffice to mention here that the
report Of Mr.. Stanton, as Secretary Of
war, on the 10Th Of July, 1866, ezhib-
it's the fact that of the Federal pris-
oners in Confederate hands during the
war only 22,57O died. while of the
Confederate prisoners in Federal
hands 26,43e died. This report does
not set forth the exact number Of
prisons held by each side respec-
lively. These facts we're given more
in detail in a subsequent report by
Surgeon General Barnes, of the Uni
ted States army. That the whole
number Of Federal prisoners captured
by the Confedcrates and held in
Southern prisons from first to last
during the war was in round numbers
100000, while the whole number of
Confederates captured and held in
prisoners by the Federals was in like
round numbers only 100000. From
these two reports itsppears that with
$4,000 more prisoners in Southern
stockades or other modes Of confne-
ment, the deaths were nearly 1000
less. According to these figures the
percentum Of Federal deaths in South
ern prisons was under nine; while the
percentum of Confederate deaths in
Northern prisons was over twelve.
These mortuary statistics are of no
small weight in determining on which
side there was the most neglect, cru
city and inhumanity, proclaiming as
they do loss by death Of more than
3 per cent. Of Confederates over Fed
erals in prisons, while the Federals
had an unstinted command of every
thing.
ssThere is in my keeping unchal-
lenged evidence to demonstrate that
the refusal to exchange prisoners was
not due to the Confederate govern
ment.
| "The policy Of the Confederates
was established by law. By an Act Of
the Confederate Congress, passed soon
after the war was inaugurated, it was
provided that prisoners Of war should
have the same rations in quantity and
quality as Confederate soldiers in the
field. By an Act afterwards passed
all hospitals for sick and wounded
prisoners were put upon the same
footing with hospitals for sick and
wounded Confederates. This policy
was never changed. There was no
discrimination in either particular be-
tween Federal prisoners and Confed-
crate soldiers. Whatever food or fare
the Confederate soldiers had, whether
good or bad, full or short, the Federal
prisoners shared equally with them.
Whatever medical attention the sick
and wounded Confederate soldiers had
the Federal prisoners in like condition
also received. Where the supply Of
the usual standard medicines was ex-
hausted and could not be replenished
in consequence Of the action Of the
Federal government in holding them
to be contraband of war and in pre-
venting their introduction by block
ade and severe penalties when resort
was had to the virtues Of healing
herbs Of the country as substitutes
for more efficient remedial agents, the
suffering Federals shared these equally
with like suffering Confederates. All
Confederate surgeons have more or
less valuable data in their keeping.
Gather these up at once, comrades,
resolve to come to this meeting and
bring them with you. Each separate
fact placed with others in connected
whole will fill in the needed missing
links required to perfect the historic
part relating 10 the faithfulness and
unfaltering devotion of the Confeder-
ate surgeons in the thorough and con-
,o;or+:or, ,,orfor,,onoo of tbo;r hn