Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1855-11-10
The Spectacle Presented to the Allies
when they Entered the Hospitai at
Sebastupoi.

The correspondent OF the London Itmes
gives the following revolving spectacle
presented to his eyes,when he entered the
hospital of Sebaslopol, Immediately alter
it was occupied by the Allies:
OF all The pictures of the horrors OF war
which have ever been presented TO the
world, the hospital Of Sebastopol presents
the mos, horrible, heart-rencIng and re-
voting. 1t cannot be described, and the
Imagination of Fuseli could not conceive
ANYTHING at all like unto it. How the
poor human body can be muhlsled ana
vet hold its soul within, when every limb
is shattered and every vein and artery Is
pouring out the life stream, one might
study here at every step, and at The same
time wonder how little will kill The
building used as an hospital is one of tho
noble pile inside the dock.yard wall, and
is situated in the centre Of the row at right
angles 10 the line of the Redsn. The
whole row was peculiarly exposed TO the
action Of sho, and shell bounding over the
Redan, and to the missiles directed at the
Barrack Battery, and it bears in sides,
roof, windows and doors frequent and dis
linctiye proofs Of the severity OF the can
nonade.
Entering one OF these doors, beheld
such sight as few men. thank God have
ever witnessed. In long, low room,
supported by square pillars, archec q, the
top, and dimly lighted through shattered
and unglazed window frames, lay the
wounded Russians who had been abandon
ed 10 our nercies by their General. The
wounded, did say? No, but the dead,
the rotten, the fostering corpses OF the sol
ders who were left 10 die in their extreme
agony, untended, uncared for, packed as
close as they could be slowed, some on the
floor, some on wreched tressels and bed
steads, or pallets OF straw, sopped and sat
urated with blood, which oozed and trick
led through upon the floor, mingled with
;he drOppings Of corruption. With the
roar of exploding fortresses in their ears,
with shells and shot pouring through the
roof and sides Of the room in which they
lay, with cracking and kissing of fire a
round them, these poor fellows who had
served their loving friend and master, the
Gear, but too well, were consigned TO
their terrible fate.
Many might have been saved with or
dnary care. Many lay yet alive with
maggois crawling about in their wounds.
Many, nearly mad by the scene around
them, or seeking escape from it, in their
exlIcemest agony, had rolled away under
the beds ,and gared out on the heart-s,rick-
en- spectator, oh, with such looks Many
with legs and arms broken and twisted,
the jagged splinlers sticking through the
raw flesh, implored aid, water, food or
pity, or deprived of speech by the ap-
proach Of death, or by dreadful injuries in
the head or trunk, pointed 10 the Ielhal
spoil. Many seemed bent alone on ma
king their peace with Heaven. The aI'i.
ludes of sone were so hideously fantastic
as TO appal and root one TO the ground by
sort Of dreadful fascination. Gould that
bloody mass of clothing and white bones
ever have been human being. or that
burnt black mass of flesh ever had hu-
man soul |, was fearful TO think what
the answer must be.
The bodies Of numbers Of men were
swollen and bloated 10 an incredible de-
gree, ,anG the features distended TO ggan-
tic size, with eyes protruding from tbs
sockets. and The blackened tongue lollng
out Of the mouth, compressed tightly by
the teeth, which had set upon II ~ the
death rattle, made one shudder and reel
round. In the midst Of one Of these
''chambers Of horror" for there were ma
ny Of ihem-were found some dead and
some living English soldiers, among them
poor Captain Vaughan, Of ooh, who has
since succumbed 10 his wounds. | con-
fess il was impossible for me 10 stand the
sight, which horriGed our most experien-
ceG surgeons the deadly, clammy stencil,
the smell Of gangrened wounds, OF corrupt
ed blood, Of rotIing flesh, were insolcrable
and odious beyond endurance.
BuG what must have the wounded feIt
who were obliged 10 endure all this, and
who passed away without hand TO give
them cup Of water, voice TO say one
Kindly word to them Mos, OF these men
were wounded on Ssturdsy--many per-
haps on the Friday befOre-indeed u -
Impossible to say how long Illey might
have been there. In the hurry Of their
retreat The MuscOyIles seem 10 have car
ried IN dead men 10 get them out Of the
way, and TO have put them upon pallets IN
honid mockery. So iha. their retreat was
secured the enemy cared LILLE Gr their
woundeJ; On Monday only did they re-
ceiye those whom we sent OUT 10 lhem du-
ring brief armislice Tor The purpose,
which was, believe, sought by ourselves,
4 A 4 a