Summary:
In October, 1862, in the aftermath of Antietam and Second Manassas, the
Confederates had many sick and wounded to bring to hospitals in Virginia. In
this letter, Lafayette Guild, Medical Director of the Army of Northern Virginia
writes to Confederate Surgeon General Dr. Samuel Moore concerning the problem.
Guild reports moving wounded from Winchester to Staunton.
Dr. S. P. MOORE,
Surgeon-Gen. C. S. Army, Richmond,
Va.:
CAMP NEAR WINCHESTER, VA.,
October 9, 1862.
SIR:
I inclose duplicate receipts of blank forms forwarded to me from your office in care of Asst. Surg. J. H. Vaughan. We have experienced so much difficulty in every branch of our department that I have upon day to day postponed reporting to you, vainly hoping that I might be able to inform you fully and intelligently of the condition of the medical department of the Army of Northern Virginia. The reports of casualties are now slowly coming in, and I trust soon a complete report can be furnished by me. As you are doubtless aware, many of our sick and wounded have been paroled by the enemy's cavalry, an expedient resorted to by them to get an equivalent for their men captured in battle. Our limited transportation has compelled us to leave many wounded in exposed positions, and they have fallen into the hands of the enemy. Hospitals in the rear have been entered and patients paroled who were reported to be in articulo mortis. However, I presume everything is fair in war. We are in great need of ambulance wagons; could it be possible to furnish the army with about 50 more? While in Maryland we were unable to procure medical supplies to any amount. I received your communication relative to purchasing such articles as we need if opportunity should offer, and will have your orders executed. Up to this time but few reports of sick and wounded have been sent in, the surgeons being unable to make them out, owing to the continued march to which the army has been subjected since leaving Richmond, and their time being also much occupied in caring for the wounded in the late battles. There are about 5,000 sick and wounded still at Winchester, who are being removed to Staunton in ambulance wagons that should be with the marching army. I am greatly obliged to you for relieving me from the care and responsibility of hospitals left in the rear of the army. I sincerely hope that Medical Director Williams, or some competent under him, will be ordered to Winchester to superintend the removal of these disabled soldiers, their position being an unsafe one in the event of a movement of the army. If our army leaves here, they may be paroled by the enemy's cavalry.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
L. GUILD,
Surgeon and Medical Director Army of Northern Virginia.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 19, Serial No. 28, Pages 659-660, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
