The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-02-16
MOONLIGHT VIEW OF A BATTLE
FIELD


mancist ever depicted n more heart sickening
scene than the following description, by an
eyewitness, of portion Of the field of In
herman, as viewed by moonlight on the eve-
ming after that bloody battle: passing up the
road to Sebastopol between heap, of Russian
dead, you come to the spot where the Guards
had been compelled to retire from the defence
of the wall above lnkerman Valley. Here our
dead was nearly as numerous as the enemy's.
Across the path, side by side, lay five Guards
men, who were killed by one round shot as
they advanced to charge the enemy. They
lay on their faces in the same attitude, with
their muskets tightly grasped in both hands,
and all had the same grim, painful frown upon
their features, like men who were struck
down in the act of closing with their foes.--
Beyond this the Russian Guardsmen and the
line regiments lay thick as leaves, with dead
and wounded horses. The latter, with frne-
tured limbs, were now and then rising, and,
after staggering few steps, rolling over
among the corpses, snorting and punging
fearfully. Up to the right of the wall was
the way TO the Two.gun Battery. The path
lay through thick brushwood, but it was slip
perry with blood, and the brushwood was
broken down and encumbered with the dead.
The scene from the battery was awful-aw-
fu beyond description. l stood upon its
parapet ut about nine at night, and felt my
heart sink rs gazed upon the scene of car
mage around. The moon was at its full, and
showed every object as if by the light of day.
Facing me was the Valley of Inkerman, with
the Tchernaya like band Of silver flowing
gracefully between the hills, which, for varied
and picturesque beauty, might vie with any
part of the world. Yet | shall never recall
the memory of lnkcrman Valley with any but
feelings of loathng and horror; for round the
spot from which surveyed the scene lay up
wards Of 5000 bodies. Many badly wounded
also lay there; and their low, dull moans of
mortal agony struck with terrible distinctness
on the ear, or worse still, the hoarse gurgling
cry and vehement struggles of those who
were convulsed before they passed away
Round the hill, small groups of men with
Hospital stretchers were searching out for
those who still survived and others again,
with lanterns, busily turning over the dead,
looking for the bodies Of officers who were
known to be killed. but who had not been
found Here also were English women
whose husbands had not returned, hurryng
about with loud lamentations, turning the
faces of our dead to the moonlight, and ea-
gerly seeking for what they feared TO find
These latter were far more to be piticd than
the inanimate forms of those who lay saugh-
tered around. The ambulances, as they came
up, received their load Of sufferers, and even
blankets were employed to convey the wound
ed to the rear. Outside the battery the Rus
slams lay two and three deep. Inside, tho
place was literally full with bodies of Rus
sian Guardsmen, 55th and Goth. The fine,
tall forms of our poor fellows could be dis
tinguished at glance, though the grey great
coats stained with blood rendered them alike
externally. They lay as they fell, in heaps;
sometimes our men over three or four Rus
slams, and sometimes Russian over three or
four of ours Some had passed away with
smile on their faces, and seemed as if asleep;
others were horribly contorted, and with dis
tended eyes and swollen features appeared to
have died in agony, but defyng to the list
Some lay as if prepared for burial, and rs
though hands of relatives had arranged their
maDged limbs, while others again were in
almost startling positions, half standing or
kneeling, clutching their weapons or drawing
a cartridge. Many lay with both their hands
extended towards the sky, as If to avert
blow or utter n prayer, while others had
malignant scowl Of mingled fear and hatred
as if indeed they died despairng. The moon
light impaired an aspect Of unnatural palcness
to their forms, and MS the cold damp wind
swept around the hills and waved the boughs
above their upturned faces, the shadows gave
a horrible appearance of vitality, and j: SEEM
ed as if the dead were laughing and about to
rise This was not the case on one spot, but
all over the bloody field"