Weekly Standard

For the Standard:
Mr. Editor:—I have just returned from Winder Hospital, Richmond, Va., and feel it my duty to give the public a history of what I saw and heard during my stay at
that ever to be remembered, hateful place, Winder Hospital. I went there for the purpose of bringing home
some of our wounded soldiers, that had been sent there
from the late Fredericksburg battles. My first attention
was called to J. M. Cranford, of Montgomery County,
whose right arm was amputated between the elbow and
shoulder joints. I immediately inquired of the Surgeon,
Dr. Brockenbrough, whether he was in condition to go
home, or not. He answered me that he was—and further
added, "I will recommend him to the Board for a furlough;" when another poor soldier, lying near by, with
his left arm amputated above the elbow, said: "Sir, I
will pay your asking, if I am able, if you will obtain a furlough for me."
I asked him his name. He replied, Barlow—and further added, I live near Raleigh. I asked him
if he had a family. He answered, he had; and a tear stole
down his manly cheek. I then remarked, that "I was not
working for money, and if I can get a furlough for you, I
will take you along."
The same Doctor recommended him, and both passed the Board at the same time. I was then informed by the Board that these furloughs had to
pass through the proper authorities to Gen. Winder, for
approval. After waiting some three days for them to
travel to the officials, a distance of some two or three
miles, I was informed by the Board that they had returned disapproved by Gen. Lee; and that Gen. Lee had
given orders that no furloughs should be granted to North Carolinians, for the reason that they would not return again to the army. I then proceeded to the Surgeon General,
Moore, and made my statements to him, and asked for relief. He immediately gave me an order to the Surgeon in
charge of those patients for a certificate of their condition,
to forward to his office. The Board claimed that as their
right, and made out a certificate, but remarked as before,
that it should pass through the proper officials. I waited
some two days on that, and have not heard from it since.
I then proceeded to see the Surgeon General again. He
said the papers had not reached him, but to go to the Adjutant General's office and enquire for them, and if they
were there, to bring them to him. I did inquire and was told that they were not there, but recommended me to inquire at the Medical Director's office for
them. I did so, and was informed that they were not
there; but remarked that possibly they had stopped in
Gen. Winder's office, and that I had better go there. I
did so, and was informed by the Clerks that they were
not there. I then spoke to Gen. Winder himself, when
he ordered his Clerks to make search and see whether any
such papers had passed through that office or not. On
examination they said there had been no such papers
through the office. I then went to the Surgeon General
and obtained an order for a transfer. On presenting the
order to the Board, the same efforts to defeat me again
were made, by saying that the transfer must go through
the same official channel as the furloughs; but warm feelings grew up, and rather loud words were uttered, and
the gentleman clerk was brought to his proper senses and
issued the transfers—but not without many scruples on a
positive order from the highest authority of that department.
Now, Mr. Editor, I have given you a sketch of the way
things are going on at Winder Hospital. I pledged myself to the poor suffering soldiers of that Hospital, as well
as to Dr. Brockenbrough, whom I found to be a gentleman and a friend to the soldier, to place in your hands
the foregoing facts. Division No. 2, Ward 46 has a kind
and efficient Ward-master.
So far as the Board is concerned of Winder Hospital.
Chambles, Lane and Henderson, I leave them to trumpet
their own praise—for I am sure that neither citizen nor
soldier will do it. Now I ask, Mr. Editor, why it is
that we have a Congress to pass laws for the people of the
Confederacy, if these laws are not to be enforced? We
have an act of Congress providing for furloughs to sick
and wounded soldiers, that is plain and easily understood. It was ratified the 1st of May last by the President. Why is it not enforced? There is a wrong, and
that wrong should be exposed; and as you are the friend
of constitutional law and liberty, you are the one to do it.
It would gratify the soldier and the citizen, and would
have a salutary effect on our army at the present time, and
if this law was faithfully executed, the infamous crime of
desertion would to a great extent cease. But without a
closer observance of constitutional liberty, our army will
like that of the North, become demoralized and broken
in spirit.
THE SOLDIER'S FRIEND.
Montgomery Co., N. C., June 5, 1863.