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will give directions for their transportation.
The wounded will be paroled, and it is understood that no delay will take place in their removal.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. E. Lee, General.
The following letter, received at a still later date, shows what a vast number of the enemy's wounded still lie upon the field of battle--four days after the engagements — notwithstanding the efforts made by Pope's officers to remove them under the permission granted by General Lee. The answer of Gen. Lee to this application of Dr. Coolidge has not been communicated.--Richmond Dispatch.
General: Medical Director Guilet of the confederate army, and Medical Director McFarlin, of the United States army, have just arrived here from the battle-field, near Manassas.
The accounts they give are far more serious than my previous information had led me to believe.
Our wounded soldiers, to the number of nearly three thousand, many still lying on the field, are suffering for food.
I have no commissary stores, and my supply of medical comforts are wholly inadequate.
With every kindly intention and effort on the part of those under your command, the loss of life must be very great, unless food and means of transporting the wounded within our own lines are promptly supplied.
I know of no source of adequate supply nearer than Washington.
If General, you can, consistently with duty, permit supplies of food and transportwagons for wounded to pass through your lines to and return from the battle-field, you will save very many lives and much suffering.
If you cannot do this, I beg that you will, for humanity's sake, point out some other way in which medical relief may be obtained.
I am within your lines, and, of course, cannot provide the necessary relief without your permission.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Richard H. Coolidge, Medical Inspector United States Army.
Narrative by a rebel Lieutenant.
Frederick City, Md., Saturday, Sept. 6.
my dear mother: I am brimful of matter as an egg of meat.
Let me try to outline our progress since my last letter — date not remembered — from Raccoon Ford — you bearing in mind that I am in A. P. Hill's division, in Jackson's corps — that corps consisting of Jackson's own division, Ewell's and Hill's. You will not think me egotistical for speaking of this corps and of the corps of Hill's division, for of them I know most, and in truth their share was, to me at least, the most memorable in the almost incredible campaign of the last fortnight.
Crossing Raccoon Ford, Jackson in front — remember, Jackson, so used, includes Hill, Ewell, and the Stonewall division--General Lee, without much opposition, reached Rappahannock River, a few miles above Rappahannock station, where a part of Longstreet's troops had a sharp fight.
On Friday evening, August twenty-second, Jackson bivouacked in Culpeper, opposite Warrenton Springs, and the same evening threw over two of Ewell's brigades.
The river rose and destroyed the bridge.
Saturday the bridge was rebuilt, and that night the two brigades, after some sharp fighting, were withdrawn.
On Monday morning the enemy appeared in heavy force, and the batteries of Hill's division were put in position and shelled their infantry.
They retired the infantry, and bringing up a large number of batteries, threw a storm of shot and shell at us — we not replying.
They must have exploded several thousand rounds, and in all, so well sheltered were we, our killed did not reach twenty.
That evening Jackson's whole force moved up to Jefferson, in Culpeper County, Longstreet close to him. The enemy was completely deceived, and concluded that we had given the thing up.
Now comes the great wonder.
Starting up the bank of the river on Monday, the twenty-fifth, we marched through Amosville, in Rappahannock County — still further up, crossed the Rappahannock within ten miles of the Blue Ridge, marched across open fields, by strange country paths and comfortable homesteads, by a little town in Fauquier, called Orleans, on and on, as if we would never cease — to Salem, on the Manassas Gap Railroad, reaching there after midnight. Up again by day-dawn, and still on, along the Manassas Gap road, meeting crowds — all welcoming, cheering, staring with blank amazement.
So all day Tuesday, through White Plains, Haymarket, Thoroughfare Gap, in Bull Run Mountains, Gainesville, to Bristow station, on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad--making the difference from Amosville to Bristow (between forty-five and fifty miles) within the forty-eight hours. We burned up at Bristow two or three railway-trains, and moved up to Manassas Junction on Wednesday, taking our prisoners with us. Ewell's division brought up the rear, fighting all the way a force Pope had sent up from Warrenton, supposing us a cavalry party.
Upon reaching Manassas Junction, we met a brigade — the First New-Jersey--which had been sent from Alexandria on the same supposition.
They were fools enough to send a flag demanding our surrender at once.
Of course we scattered the brigade, killing and wounding many, and among them the Brigadier-General, (Taylor,) who has since died.
At the Junction was a large depot of stores, five or six pieces of artillery, two trains containing probably two hundred large cars loaded down with many millions of quartermaster and commissary stores.
Beside these, there were very large sutlers' depots, full of every thing; in short, there was collected there, in the space of a square mile, an amount and variety of property such as I had never conceived of, (I speak soberly.) 'Twas a curious sight to see our ragged and famished men helping themselves to every imaginable article of luxury or necessity, 