Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-07-16
DEFERRED ARTICLES.
HORRORS OF WAR.

We are too much accustomed TO look only at the
bright side of the picture when we hear Of a Sc
verely contested battle and to forget that the brill
iiancy OF the triumph is dimmed by the blood
which has been shed in achieving it, The shout
Of victory only is heard-not the wall of anguish
We See only the nodding plume of the living war
rior--not the mutated carcasses of the diving and
the dead. The eye is caught by the tinsel trap
pings of the soldier, ind the outward mcgnficence
leads captive the imagination, which is not permit
ted for a moment to dwell upon tho scenes of agony
and horror. that, were they behold, would touch
the sensibility of the hardest heart. Read for ex-
ample, the following sketch. drawn by one, who,
after the late battles visited the spot upon which
they had been fought.
81 went over the field after the battle of Resaca
ue la Palma, and the sight which met my eyes
therc wns one which imagination can scarcely de-
plct. Bodies of the Mexican soldiers were living
about iii every direction-some with their heads en-
tlrely or partly shot of---others without Jeps or
arus--othcrs with their entras torn out One
man, fine looking fellow. was lying on the ground
with cartridge In his fingers, having evidently
been killed while in the act of printing his musket
crept about on my hands and knees through the
chapnrcl, and at every few PAGES would come
across dead bodies and at one spot discovered the
body OF beautiful Mexican girl, staked through
have been guilty of this inhumn act. 1t is hardly
necessary To say it is impossible that any American
could have done IT.
Another pen furnishes the following thrilling ac-
count of different scene
81 went 10 visit the difleren, hospitals They
are filled with the wounded and dying The stencil
that arose from them, from the want of police was
You could tell mt n glance the wound
cd of Palo Alto or Resaca de Ia Palm, The
latter We're mostly bullet wounds whereas the am
puated limbs told of the lannon's fearful execution
In the former. Beside one poor fellow beautiful
girl OF IL was seated keeping off the flies She
was his wife In another corner a family proup.
the mother and her children, were seated by their
wounded father. One bright eyed little girl quite
took my fancy, and my heart bled 10 think that
thus early she should be introduced 10 so much
wretchedness. On one bed was corpse on ano-
ther was one dying, holding in his hand the grape
shot that had passed through his breast He show
cd 1t TO us with sad countcnance. left the hos
pltal shocked with the horrors Of war The army
have left their wounded comrades with very little
attention to their wants"
1t is gratifying TO read, rs we have frequently
done, of the beneyolence exhibited by the conquer
ors towards their wounded opponents, who fell into
their Misunderstanding the cup of water to the parch-
ed lips of the dying and exerting every effort to
minister TO the comfort of those against whose boz
soms, but an hour before they had aimed the wea-
pons of death. Douglas Jerrold, popular essayist,
with great force, 'Prety it is TO see the
victor, with salve and lint, kncelng by his bloody
trophy-a manned and agonized fellow-mar-but
surely 1T had been better 10 withhold the blow than
to have been first mschevous, TO be afterwards hui
name" 1t is TO avoid the repetition of scenes like
these, and TO prevent the necessity Of exhibiting
this "late pity. born Of violence that we are in
favor Of as speedy termination of the war with
Mexico as possible, consistently with due regard
to the rights and honor of our own country-Rich-
!aond Unig.