O.R.--SERIES II--VOLUME VIII [S# 121]
UNION AND CONFEDERATE
CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, ETC., RELATING TO PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE FROM
JANUARY 1, 1865, TO THE END.--#13
[ar121_300 con't]
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT,
Richmond, February 23, 1865.
Lieut. Gen. R. S. EWELL, Commanding Department of
Richmond:
GENERAL: I have the honor to report that in accordance with your
instructions I to-day inspected the hospital for Federal prisoners. This is
under the charge of Surg G. W. Semple and is conducted upon the same
principles as the general Confederate hospitals--the same proportion of
assistant surgeons, the same rations, &c. All the attendants, cooks, &c.,
are Federal prisoners, and as any number can be had that are necessary, the
hospital has in this particular an advantage over the Confederate hospitals.
The police of the hospital is good; every[thing] about it being neat and in
good order. During this month the average number of patients has been 500
per day, and the number of deaths a very small fraction over two per day,
the deaths being mostly from diarrhea and pneumonia. There are no contagious
or infectious diseases among the patients. The reason why twelve men were
buried from the hospital in one day was owing to the fact that the
undertaker did not furnish the coffins for several days and the dead
<ar121_301> accumulated. This undertaker has been discharged and a new one
appointed. A large number of sick men arrived at the hospital this morning
from Salisbury, N.C. I was informed by the surgeon that met them at the
depot that forty died on the way here. Thirteen dead bodies had already been
brought to the hospital while I was there.
Your obedient servant,
J. W. PEGRAM,
Major and Assistant Inspector-General.
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