The Best of Friends and Most Determined of Enemies: A Pennsylvania Surgeon Among the Confederates After Chancellorsville

Ordered across the Rappahannock after the conclusion of the Battle of Chancellorsville, Surgeon John W. Rawlins of the 88th Pennsylvania might have expected a grim task ahead of him. What surprised the Pennsylvanian was the courtesy and kindness with which he was treated by his Confederate hosts.

          Arriving at the field hospital set up at Salem Church, Surgeon Rawlins recalled the warm friendships that soon developed with his counterparts in gray. “During our stay of four days and four nights at this church and in its vicinity, we had a great many Rebel visitors from the generals down with whom we freely expressed opinions, discussing politics and the war freely,” he wrote. “We were treated with much courtesy and invariably with politeness. We had the pleasure of meeting surgeons from Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Virginia, some of whom had been college mates of ours in Philadelphia, and others were well acquainted with many of our former friends. Our social evenings at Salem Church with the Rebel surgeons seemed more like the reunion of well-tried friends after a long separation. We shook hands and parted the best of friends but the most determined of enemies.”

          Among the surgeons he met was Dr. George Rogers Clark Todd, the younger brother of Mary Todd Lincoln. “I showed him a likeness (on a $10 greenback which by the way is a very true likeness) of his distinguished brother-in-law,” Rawlins noted. “Dr. Todd remarked that he considered the “circumstance no credit and no discredit.” Someone suggested that he should send Mrs. Lincoln a letter; he declined but said we “might give his respects.”

          Surgeon Rawlins’ remarkable letter first saw publication in the May 20, 1863, edition of the Lancaster Daily Evening Express published in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

 

Surgeon John Windsor Rawlins of the 88th Pennsylvania was comfortably settling into camp when orders came for him along with a half dozen other surgeons to recross the Rappahannock and provide care for wounded Federal soldiers. Rawlins ended up at Salem Church, the scene of vicious fighting on May 3, 1863. Rawlins speaks little of the medical tasks he performed, focusing instead on the friendships that developed between the Federal and Confederate surgeons. "We shook hands and parted the best of friends and but the most determined of enemies," he noted. 

Camp in the pines, Virginia

May 14, 1863

          During the afternoon of the May 6, 1863, we had another thunderstorm, accompanied by heavy rains, which made our camping place that night very muddy and unpleasant. But fortunately, I succeeded in obtaining possession of an outhouse partly filled with hat which I converted into a hospital for the night, furnished a dry lodging place for some 10-15 guests.

          The next day, May 7th, we encamped under shelter tents near our present location and on the 8th, we pitched tents and prepared to make ourselves comfortable. But while I was sitting by a warm fire in my little camp stove between 5 and 6 o’clock, drying my feet and congratulating myself upon the creature comforts which I was about to enjoy, I received an order to proceed immediately with instruments and report to Dr. A. of the U.S. Army at Banks’ Ford. I would go with a flag of truce within the enemy’s lines to attend our wounded on the battlefield. In a few minutes, I was on the road and was joined at corps headquarters by six other surgeons. We proceeded on our lonely, devious, and dark road in pursuit of science or rather practice under difficulties.

          After being conducted from one line of pickets to another, we got lost, but after discovering a farmhouse in the distance, we determined to go there and obtain a guide or remain the balance of the night. Fortunately, we found Dr. A. there to whom we were to report. We soon unburdened and fed our horses, unrolled our blankets on the floor and went to sleep supperless. Next morning, after a good breakfast furnished for us at 50 cents each by the kind farmer, we proceeded with our boats and several wagonloads of supplies to Banks’ Ford, which, by courtesy of the Rebels whose pickets lined the south bank, allowed a number of us to cross. The balance was sent up to the United States Ford to cross over to the battlefield of Chancellorsville. Three of us went on in advance, being guided by a Rebel lieutenant colonel and a major on horseback who courteously carried our field cases of instruments. We had to leave our horses on the north side of the river, not being able to get them over.

          The first lot of wounded we came to numbered about 70 and occupied the barn of a man named Hogan. Our services being more urgently needed further on, we proceeded (after stopping at several houses on the way where lots of 4-6 men were quartered) to Salem Church. This church is a brick building (of good size for a country church) and is situated on the Plank Road leading from Fredericksburg to Chancellorsville. Here we found nearly 100 of our wounded under the care of Dr. O. of the 121st New York who had been detained by the Rebels. [The 121st New York under the command of Colonel Emory Upton reportedly lost 48 killed, 173 wounded, and 55 missing in the engagement near Salem Church on May 3, 1863; 32 of the 55 missing were subsequently discovered to have been killed in action.]

          During our stay of four days and four nights at this church and in its vicinity, we had a great many Rebel visitors from the generals down with whom we freely expressed opinions, discussing politics and the war freely. We were treated with much courtesy and invariably with politeness. We had the pleasure of meeting surgeons from Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Virginia, some of whom had been college mates of ours in Philadelphia [Jefferson Medical School], and others were well acquainted with many of our former friends. Our social evenings at Salem Church with the Rebel surgeons seemed more like the reunion of well-tried friends after a long separation. Although our political sentiments were as wide asunder as the poles, I am sure both parties were highly gratified by the courteous, kind, and gentlemanly treatment received at each other’s hands. We shook hands and parted the best of friends but the most determined of enemies. I could not but contrast their conversation and conduct with that of our Copperhead friends of the North. The Rebel gentleman is a noble lion, the Copperhead a sneaking hyena.



          On Sunday May 10th, the Rebels having furnished is with an ambulance or two and several wagons, we placed in them about 50 of our best cases and we three surgeons accompanied them on foot about four miles to Fredericksburg where they were paroled and permitted to be sent across by General Barksdale. Having left sufficient surgeons on the battleground, we proposed to cross over and rejoin our commands but General Barksdale would not permit us. I made a virtue of necessity and remarked to Barksdale that it was immaterial as we had so far been treated with great courtesy and anticipated nothing less than a continuance of the same. He replied that there was a hotel in Fredericksburg where we might go, but knowing very well what poor fare and high charges we might expect at a hotel in Rebeldom, I suggested that as we could still render some service at Salem Church, I would prefer to return there. He replied that he had no objection to that.

          So, we walked back again accompanied a great part of the way by three Rebel soldiers who entertained us with their account of the battle. We entered Fredericksburg about an hour after their great General Stonewall Jackson died; he was wounded in both arms, only one of which he would suffer to be amputated. The Rebels said he was wounded accidentally by his own men who mistook him for a Union officer. They also state the cause of his death was pneumonia, but it is more probable, I think, that it was consequent upon his wounds and those wounds received from the enemy in battle as it was said he took command in person of the Stonewall Brigade after the death of Brigadier General Elisha Paxton. In passing through Fredericksburg, we witnessed the burial of a Rebel officer and the brass band striking up a tune immediately behind us, we marched for the first time in our lives to Rebel music.

Fredericksburg, Virginia, in February 1863. By May, Surgeon Rawlins observed that "Fredericksburg is a deserted city; there are but few women and children to be seen. Many of the finest houses were deserted, the gardens running wild with grass and beautiful flowers." 

          Fredericksburg is a deserted city; there are but few women and children to be seen, but those few seemed quite interested in the appearance of “the Yankee officers.” A lot of well-dressed boys volunteered to show us the way down to the crossing which was opposite the Lacey House. Many of the finest houses were deserted, the gardens running wild with grass and beautiful flowers. We passed the celebrated Marye’s Heights which Sedgwick had the honor of taking but could not keep; we walked back the same road many of the troops took tom escape at Banks’ Ford.

But, more unfortunate than us, they met a lion in their path in the shape of General [Cadmus] Wilcox’s brigade, strongly posted behind breastworks made of planks taken from the Plank Road. The Rebels say this was constructed after the battle, but I do not believe a word of it for the walls, windows, and ceiling of the brick church are thickly strewn with the shreds of garments, letters to Federal soldiers, memorandum books, etc. All show plainly that a desperate contest occurred there and the numerous graves provide still better proof. The Rebels say our troops advanced without throwing out skirmishers; the Rebel skirmishers quietly retiring and leading the Federals right into the open space in front of the Rebel lines.

          The officers we met with were nearly all intelligent and good-looking gentlemen. Some of them wore uniforms of coarse material, but all appeared to enjoy good health and to be able to endure considerable service. But they did not endeavor to deny the fact that their men were all in the field, but they also assume our conscripts won’t fight and that their veterans are more than a match for ours, having full confidence in their commanders. They estimate our so-called peace men and Copperheads (Vallandigham, Woods, Sanderson, etc.) at their proper value. They know these truckling doughfaces of old and spur their sympathies as they would the caress of a troublesome, fawning spaniel.

Mary Todd Lincoln and her younger brother Dr. George Rogers Clark Todd, who at the time of the Battle of Chancellorsville was serving as the chief brigade surgeon for Brigadier General Paul Semmes' brigade of Georgians. When it was suggested that Dr. Todd send his older sister a letter, he declined but offered that the Federals "might give his respects" to Mrs. Lincoln. 

          Among our visitors was Dr. [George Rogers Clark] Todd, chief surgeon of Semmes’ brigade. Dr. Todd is a brother of Mrs. President Lincoln. I showed him a likeness (on a $10 greenback which by the way is a very true likeness) of his distinguished brother-in-law. The Rebel officers all took a good look at the engraving. Dr. Todd remarked that he considered the “circumstance no credit and no discredit.” Someone suggested that he should send Mrs. Lincoln a letter; he declined but said we “might give his respects.” The last time he saw Mr. Lincoln was some seven years ago at his father’s home in Lexington, Kentucky. One of our Rebel surgeons has a father residing in Westmoreland County, New York while another has a mother and sister residing in Cecil County, Maryland, my old home and the land of my birth.

          On Wednesday morning last, having sent over the last of our 200 wounded, we bid adieu to Secessia, glad once more to hear Yankee Doddle and to see our blue-clad fellow soldiers. We traveled once more from the extreme right to the extreme left of our lines, through camps innumerable. All seemed happy as larks, enjoying the bright warm weather and the welcome rest after their arduous toils. The army, as far as I can judge, is just as effective and courageous and is able and willing to fight another battle just as they were before the late fight. I could detect no signs of decimation or demoralization and if we could only get a fair chance at the enemy in an open field, I have no doubt we can whip them.

Source:

Letter from Surgeon John Windsor Rawlins, 88th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Lancaster Daily Evening Express (Pennsylvania), May 20, 1863, pgs. 1-2

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