Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-11-21
DEATH is EVER BUSY.

DR.. Alexander Tinsley,a former resi-
dent Of Shepherdstown, died last Satur-
day at his home in Baltimore, after long
period of declining health, aged 70 years.
DR.. TinsIey was native of York county,
Pa. He was educated at William and
Mary College, Virginia, and studied med
icine at the University of Virginia and the
University of the City of New York. On
his graduation from New York University
he was appointed resident surgeon to the
Brooklyn City Hospital. AT the outbreak
of the Civil War he was acting as surgeon,
attached to the United States Coast Sur
vey. Resigning from the government SER
vice he entered the Confederate Army and
was assigned to hospital duty at Yorktown
and Williamsburg. After service in both
field and hospital, near the close of the
war he was placed in charge of the sick
and wounded Union soldiers at Richmond.
After the war DR.. TinSley practiced med
icine in York county for time and then
came to Shepherdstown, where he reSid
ed for several years. He moved TO Bal
timore about 81 years ago, where he prac-
ticed his profession until his retirement
from active duty. DR.. Tinsley married
Miss Dare Parran, of Shepherdstown.
He leaves the following children A. L.
Tinsley and Miss H. g. Tinsley, OF Bal
timore, and X. P. Tinsley and Mrs. Carey
Coale, OF New York. One brother, James
g. Tinsley, of Richmond, Va, also sur
wives. Funeral services were held at his
late home i'll Baltimore on Sunday, and
on Monday the remains were brought to
Shepherdstown for burial. being inferred
beside the body of his wife in Elmwood
Cemetery.
Referring TO DR.. Tinsley's services as a
surgeon during the war. Mr.. Matthew
Page Andrews sends lis from Baltimore
the following sketch:
Although his heart and soul were with
the Southern Confederacy, he was re-
garded by the sick and wounded OF both
armies as one of the ableSt and most pop
uar surgeons on either side. Near the
close OF the war he was assigned 10 duty
in one of the hospitals at Richmond for
sick and wounded Federal soldiers. He
remained at his post in charge OF them
after the evacuation of Richmond. Then
he was displaced by Federal surgeons.
As soon as the wounded Union soldiers,
however, learned that he was dismissed,
they submitted signed petition, asking
that he be reinstated, and they were not
satisfied until this was done. DR.. Tinsley,
therefore, attended these Federal soldiers
for six weeks after the war by their own
preference, for which he was never al
lowed one cent of pay by the Federal au-
thorties, although the matter was later
brought up before Congress. All that he
received for this service Of six weeks was
permission to take home enough food for
himself and relative, and forage for his
horse. In consideration OF the fact that
nine people out of ten believe that Union
soldiers were badly treated in the South,
we think that this matter is worth publ
cation. They believe this, in spite OF The
government figures that 5000 more priS-
oners from a less number persisted in
Northern prisons during the war.
After the battle of Antietam DR.. Tins
ley was made surgeon in charge Of the
wounded Confederates in Shepherds
town. He had come up from Richmond
and reported TO General Lee at the time
OF the battle, and General Lee at once as
signed him to duty here, making him chief
surgeon This town was one great hos
pital, the churches, public buildings and
many private houses being used to shell
ter the hundreds of wounded Confeder-
ates. 1t was while working here among
the injured that DR.. Tinsey met Miss
Dare Parran, a beautiful and charming
girl who was one ofthe many noble wom-
en- of this town who devoted themselves
to the care of the Southern soldiers. The
friendship thus formed ripened into love
and they were later married, living hap
PLY together for many years.