Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-01-30

of the monster. we must stand nearer, II {
we would see battlefield in its true char q
acter. We must mingle with the combat S
,nts. and see the wounds, and hear the i
yroans,. which are unperceived by the dis
tant spectator. Who are these thousands
arrayed in opposing ranks2 Are they mere
senseless puppets, set out like the pieces on
a chess board, by the movements of which
the leaders may display their skill2 No.
They are men, sustaining important rela-
tons in life. They are sons and brothers. |
perhaps husbands and fathers. Other lives |
are knit to theirs, and they cannot bleed
without causing others TO share their pangs.
And here they are arrayed against each
other, to try their utmost power and skill,
with all the aid which science or which art
can lend, in the work OF mutual slaughter.
And for what sufficient cause must this hor-
rid work be prosecuted2 Because, forsooth:
the King of one country has insulted the
President of another: or because two adj
joining countries cannot agree upon boun-
Diary line, and the Jurisdiction of a few thou
sand acres of territory is claimed by each
government Or it may be a civil war 10 de-
termine which of two individuals shall oc-
cupy the throne of a country. Oh, what
trivial concerns to settle al such expense
But the signal is .Siven-the battle COM
mences. Here a cannon ball ploughs its
way through opposing ranks. Two fall
dead without a groan. A third has both
limbs shot off, and falls in indescribable ago.
ny to have the remnant Of his life trod out
under the feet of his comrades. A fourth
and fifth are horribly mangled and bUrne
away to the surgeon, one 10 linger few
hours in excruciating pain and de-the 9TH
err to recover after weeks Of suffering, main
ed, or dis6gured. There discharge Of
musketry has just been made. Some are
shot through the head, others through the
heart, while much larger number fall Sc
riously wounded Yonder troop of caval-
ry come dashing forward into the fight. One
man is struck down by plunging horse
the horseman's sword cleaves another's
head his own horse is shot under him and
he is thrown forward upon the point of {
bayonet. Here horses hoof presses upor
the breast Of wounded man. There
horseman, entangled in his stirrups,- fall
with his horse and is trampled TO DEATH
Another with sabre stroke wounds an en-.
envy, receives in return bayonet thrust, ant
with rage in his eve and revenge in hi.
heart, exerts the last strength Of his 'ebbins
life to point>a pistol at the head Ct his ad
) versary. Suppose such scenes TO be con
stantly repeated over and over again 70
! hours in succession and along line of one
. two or three miles in extent, and YOU hav
battle family presented to the magma
e ton.
But the scene is not yet closed. One arm
flies and the other pursues, and the tumu
T. of battle dies away in the distance. TIL
field however is not entirely deserted. 1t i
: still peopled with the dead and the diving
i Heart rending sight! On every side, sea-
tered over the whole PLATA, lie mangIe
: corpses, mutilated, gashed, besmeared viii
y blood. Here wounded man is ventin
J his rage in curses, directed indiscriminatel
against his enemies, his friends, or his Goo
There another imploring surgical aid.
: third begging little wafer TO wet his parcl
= ed mouth. Here youth has stanched hi
wounds with shreds of his own clothes, an
: no" resting his head upon corpse, he think
u OF home. He was the only earthly pro
i and support OF widowed mother Oh
: could that mother but wipe the dea;h-dam
: from his face and close his eyes but no
! he must die alone. And that bereaved mo
ther-who shall comfort her heart and min
lister to the wants of her declining age 2
There a man has dragged himself away
y little knoll of earth, and now faint viii
loss Of blood and propping his head wit
one hand, while he counts his feeble pulls
: with the other, he turns his dimmed eve
towards his home, and signs as he thinks q
that dear family to be berelt of its head
d mat wife TO be left widow, and thos
children fatherless. Fly with the tiding
II as they spread, and witness the anguish G
: thousand bereaved families, Of ten thou
sand mourning parents, brothers, sister:
wives q children. Return & follow the trac
!. OF the armies, and observe in every successiv
battle, repetition Of the scenes alread
: described. Add to all this amount OF sui
ierlng and wo, the pilIaging of private prop
erty-the burning of dwelling houses tn
destruction and waste of crops-tbe inter