John Adams Dix Letter to Henry A Wise, April 28, 1863

John Adams Dix Letter to Henry A Wise, April 28, 1863

Eastern State Hospital (Va.)--History--19th century.

Letter, dated April 28, 1863, from Union Major General John Adams Dix to Confederate General Henry A. Wise to stop the attacks on the Union-held insane asylum in Williamsburg, Virginia. Dix writes that, although the asylum is under the control of the Union, there have been repeated attack by officers of the Confederacy on it's employees and residents. Dix also mentions he has directed General Keyes to re-occupy Williamsburg.

Dix, John Adams

John Adams Dix Letter to Henry A Wise, April 28, 1863, Mss. Acc. 2012.210

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1863-04-28

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Text

Mss.Acc.2012.210.001

Head Quarters Department of Virginia
Seventh Army Corps

Fort Monroe, Va. Apl. 28th 1863

To General Harry A. Wise,
or the Commanding Officer,
of the troops on the Chickahominy
Sir:
The Town of Williamsburgh
has been occupied as you are aware, by the troops un-
der my command as a [fricket?] station or outpost of Yorktown. A large portion of the inhabitants are known not to be well disposed to the Government of the
United States. They have nevertheless, while quietly
pursuing their domestic avocations, been unmolested,
and have been permitted to supply themselves with
the necessaries and comforts of life at Yorktown and
Fort Monroe. The [?] at Williamsburgh
has been [?] under the superintendence of an Army
Surgeonand its three hundred helpless inmates sup-
plied, at the expense of the United States, with every
thing necessary to their comfort and with the re-
medial treatment they require. While exercising these
offices of humanity, the troops at Williamsburgh have
been several times attacked by your forces, not with
a view to gain and hold possession of the place and
to assume the guardianship which has been ex-
tended to the inhabitants and the Tenants of the
[?] by us, but for the purpose of harassing those
who were performing this generous service. On the
31st [?] your forces entered and endeavored to take
possession of the town, occupying several houses &
firing [?] the troops: and in this, as I am informed,
they were aided by some of the inhabitants, who have
been living for nearly a year under our protection.
More recently your forces entered the town and took
possession of it, place our employés in the [?]
[?] under parole, carrying off some of the servants
and depriving its inmates of the [ease?] to which they
have been accustomed and which their helpless
condition under indispensable. You have by with-
drawing your forces, left the [?] again to our
charity and compelled Mayor General Keyes the Com-
manding Officer of the Troops at Yorktown and Fort
[?] to supply it with food to save the patients
from starvation. -
These raids under the peculiar circumstances
are in violation of every dictate of humanity. Having
no [?] and apparently no object for annoyance &
a useless sacrifice of life, they are also in violation
of every principle of honorable warface. I have di-
rected May. Genl Keyes to re-occupy the town; and
that the aggressions referred to may cease. I give you notice
that in ease of any reproduction of them
1th That the inmates of the Asylum will be sent to
Richmond, and the United States relieved of the [?]-
den of their support:-
2nd That any house which may be taken possession
of for the purpose of firing upon the troops stationed
there will be razed to the ground; and
3rd That any citizen of Williamsburgh not belonging
to a regularly organized corps, who shall be forced
co-opurating in these attacks and rising in arms against
the occupying troops, will be put to death as a notation
of the law of civilized warefare. -
I am very respectfully
Your obdt servt.
John A. Dix
Maj. Genl