Flat Top Mountain, May 25th, 1862.
In my comments upon our retreat from
East River and Princeton, I incidentally
mentioned that in our precipitancy, and
the short=sightedness of our commanders, we
left behind at Princeton to the tender mercies
of our enemies, a number of sick and
wounded. Not entirely to the care of the
rebels, as some volunteered to remain in
the capacities of nurses, &c., to take care
of their disabled companions, not choosing to
forsake them in adversity. These invalids were
principally from the 34th Reg’t, which bore
the brunt of the first day’s fight at Princeton.
There were some from the 28th and 37th Reg’ts,
and Gen. Cox’s body=guard, (Cavalry.)
As our authorities here, received intimations a
couple of days ago from the enemy, that our
wounded would be delivered up whenever
sent after,, Lt. Col. Hines of 12th Reg’t was deputized to go on
this mission, and yesterday collected all the
ambulances in camp, and with the “white flag”
for his banner, proceeded on his journey.
The expedition returned to day, having with
them some 60 or 70 sick and wounded. They
say they were well-treated during their captivity.
They will be forwarded to Raleigh tomorrow.
The scarcity of quinine in the Confederacy may
have something to do with the delivery of these
soldiers, as we cannot reasonably look for a
very extensive exercise of generosity amongst
such as are our enemies; for, although they may
be chivalry and chivalrous, we have too many
precedents before our “mind’s eye” not to know
what is meant by chivalry as used by
the “Southern Confederacy”, without reference
to Webster, whose authority we will have to ignore, in
the present instance.
The 1st Brigade is encamped upon the
premises of a Col. Chambers, who is a Union
man, and has been all the time, although
surrounded by Southern Armies for more than
a year. I find that here in Virginia, it is
much more common to find persons with
military titles than in Ohio, owning to the fact
that here militia laws have always been kept in force,
while in Ohio they have been practically dead for
years. These titled individuals, as a matter
of course, are some of the prominent men of
the country, although, as is the case with
all public men, there are some whose talents
are not of the highest order, and who would
not shine in society. But Col. Chambers
is not of this class. – He is a man of some
education, good common sense, a determined
spirit, has traveled some and mixed with
society, is probably sixty, and having naturally
a somewhat commanding appearance, will
gain the respect of community without
great effort. Situated as he has been for
more than a year past with an armed
enemy all around, he has maintained his
honor, and has all along, and still clings
to the old Union.
Col. Little of this county is another, who,
despite the almost universal Secession sentiment
which pervaded his neighborhood & county,
never for once forgot his obligations, nor
violated his pledges to his country, but through
all, “held fast to his integrity, and did not
let it go.”
I can truly say of Col. Little that he is a
patriot and a “lover of country,” who. although
his State, his county, and almost all his friends
are swept by fanaticism into the whirlpool
of Secession, he remains devoted to the cause
of the Union and the Constitution.
Such instances are indeed rare, but as I
have heretofore given some opinions upon the
disloyalty of Virginia, it is proper to
record exceptional cases, as bright spots on
a dark record.
But Col Burgess of Raleigh Co., is a
different individual from the two mentioned.
He is an ignorant bombast, conceited, deceptive,
and treacherous, but he so far succeeded in
ingratiating himself into the good opinions of our
officers, as to induce them to confide in him as a
Unionist, while at heart a traitor. His true char=
=acter came to light a short time ago, when the
scamp was forthwith sent to a milder locality,
where fire-eating is less in vogue than here.
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 13925
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