Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 30.djvu/282

 274 Southern Historical Society Papers.

desire to see the braggart worsted, and the much-abused South, driven to bay, achieve a success."

I take the following from the same paper:

" Stones set afloat by the black Republican press of the barbarous treatment of the wounded by the Confederate troops is denied by The Baltimore American, an administrative paper:

"From troops passing through here, and particularly from the members of the Michigan regiments, who have a large number of wounded with them, we learn that every attention was paid to the wounded which the most humane could have deserved; one soldier affirming that he called upon a man who had shot him down for some water, and that the Confederate supplied him from his own canteen."

No country produced a more humane type of men than did the South. A lieutenant of our own city, when falling back under the tremendous fire at the battle of- Gettysburg, was appealed to by a Yankee officer for help when, without a moment's hesitation, he stooped down and gently lifted him upon his back and bore him away to a place of safety. This was Lieutenant P. T. Oliver, a pros- perous merchant and a most excellent citizen of the city of Athens. Our soldiers never resorted to such barbarous treatment of men as the water torture, practiced by the United States troops in the war in the Philippines. Nor did we burn houses down over the heads of women and children (as I witnessed in the Valley of Virginia), by the order of General Sheridan, and approved by the United States Government at Washington. Now let us see, of both sides, who were interested in this first campaign against Richmond; these ex- tracts are from official dispatches.

General Scott to McClellan, July 18:

" McDowell yesterday drove the enemy beyond Fairfax Court- house. He will attack the entrenched camp, Manassas Junction, to- day. Beaten there the enemy may retreat both upon Richmond and the Shenandoah Valley. I may reinforce him (Patterson) to enable you to bay Johnston."

Secretary Cameron to Governor Curtin, July 18:

" The Pennsylvania troops were expected to have joined the forces going into battle this week. 1 trust there will be no delay to prevent them sharing the honors of the expected battle."

General Scott to McClellan, July 21, A. M :

"Johnston has amused Patterson and reinforced Beauregard.