From the Richmond Daily Whig, 1 December 1863

NOT A "GROSS OUTRAGE." – In yesterday's paper we published, with appropriate qualification, a charge preferred by an intelligent young man, of this city, (serving as a private in Gen. Lee's army," against a person named Hicks (not Hix) employed at Chimborazo Hospital. The charge was that Hicks exacted $3 per man from furloughed soldiers for carrying them to the depots in a Government ambulance. The qualification was that Hicks owned the ambulance (as we had been informed) and was therefore at liberty to "charge soldiers a reasonable fare when they used his ambulance." We noticed the complaint in order that we might call attention to what "seemed"{ to be dereliction on the part of the "authorities of Chimborazo" in failing to send furloughed and sick or wounded soldiers to the depots, in Government ambulances, free of expense to them. – We now learn that this is done. Mr. Hicks vindicates himself in the following communication, in reference to which it is only necessary to say that the name of the complainant will be given:

Chimborazo Hospital
November 30, 1863

To the editor of the Whig:

An article appears in your paper this morning entitled "A Gross Outrage," in which my name occurs in a somewhat questionable connection. It is said that I am in the habit of charging $3 to furloughed soldiers, whose health and limbs have been shattered in the service, for conveyance in an ambulance to the Depot on their way homeward. This charge against me is a serious one, and but for its grossness and total lack of truth, would be entitled to greater attention. I will, however, unqualifiedly deny it, and say that I have never had either the right nor the audacity to demand any compensation whatever, as I have control of a Government Ambulance, and do not, nor have I ever owned such a conveyance myself. Your sense of justice will prompt you to publicly, or otherwise, give the name of your informant.

Respectfully,
E. H. Hicks

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