The Placer herald., 1856-05-17
NUMBER 36..
The Horrors of War-Letter BY Russian
Sister Of Mercy.

"Only few days have passed since last
wrote to you, and now could again fill pa
ges with the events of the one single night
between Tuesday and Wednesday, Oh, how
much should have to tell you, but how or
with what words. My God what a horror
is war. What unnatural crue lty it is. In the
night between Monday and Tuesday our men
were ordered to dig fresh trenches and throw
up batteries, with force to protect the work
men. We were all night prepared for an at
tack, but it passed offquictly, and the whole of
Tuesday was calm and still. In the evening
all was again expectation; every preparation
was made. Several rows of mattresses were
laid on the ground, small tables arranged,
with lights and writing materials upon them.
The attendants were placing heaps Of lint,
bandages, dressings short sterinc candles
and medicines upon table In one corner
stood a large samoar "a camp kettle,) and
cups On the other side was a table, cover
ed with brandy, wine, lemonade, tumblers
and wine glasses. The room is nearly dark,
and a peculiar stiffness reigns around, as in
the air before thunder storm. Fifteen sur
geons, or more, are seated around Pirogoh
III the room for operations, or are walking
up and down in pairs. The officer and the
smoritel, (superinendent) who have to sec
everything is in readiness are buisilv moving
about, or are fetching in more medical help
and attendance.
AS YOU stand at the door or look out
through the lofty windows at both sides of
the room, you see a bright, quiet night,
for the moon is shining and the stars are
twinkling without cloud Between nine
| ~ -, ic Of
tightening at the windows and suddenly it
roars till every pane of glass ratties. By de
grees flash follows flash more frequent and
rapidly; you can no longer distinguish the
shots from each other. The fifth and sixth
bastions are lit up with fire; but the enemy's
bombs do not reach the city. We sit and
listen ever in the same sort Of twilight, and
about an hour passes over. Then comes a
litter, another and another-it has begun.
The candles are lit, folks run hurredy back
ward and forward and the large room is soon
filled with men. The floor is covered with
the wounded-every where they can sit
they who have crawled in do sit. How they
shrek! What din. He'll is let loose around
u.s. You cannot hear the thunder of the guns
for wailing and groaning. That one screams
but not in words, This one cries, "Save me-
brethern. save mev' Another sees the brandy
on table, and entreats me, 'Be kind mo-
ther to me and give me dram" In all
directions voices are heard moaningy entreat-
ing the surgeons, who are probing the wounds
Good, my lord, do not rack me-" | myself
walk with great difficulty between the rows
of stretchers, and cry out Come here, my
men, and take him to Gutsczinski's house,.
that is where the hopeless wounded are car
ried; take this man to the Nicolaieff battery;
place that man upon this bed.' Now they
bring in officers, too The room is crowded
densely with the wounded, but operations
are not to be thought of at this moment
God give us time to bind up the wounds of
ALL We sisters are all busilv engaged.
They are bringing in an officer; his face is
dcluged with blood; wash it off; meanwhile
he takes laboriousy y out of his snap-purse
some money for the soldiers who brought
him, to drink his health, | have seen many
do the same thing. kneel on the floor to-
light the doctor-the wounded man has,
been shot in the breast-to see if the bali
had gone right through. place my hand
under his pack and feel for the wound. You
may think how he lies weltering in his gore;
but enough. You would shudder if were
to describe to you all the tortures and agonies
| witnessed that night. Dawn comes at last
and the firing ceases. We have little gar
den-pcture it to your mind: WELL there are
wounded lying there also. took brandy
and ran down to it, while the sun was raising
most gloriously over the day, amid the t,vit-
tering of birds in the shade of acacias full
of white blossoms. | found thirty or there
abouts, all grevously wounded most of them
already at the point of death. My Maker
and my Lordl what contrast to this sweet
spring morning! | begged two ofthe inhaba
itants, who had been helping most diligently
all night to carry the wounded to take them
Immediately into the hospital. Thank heaven
the bringing in of stretchers is at an end!
The surgeons who had gone home at day
break to oct some rest returned, when those
whose turn it was to be relieved departed
with the close ofday. a.i
At seven o'clock the operations recon-
mence. Although it was not my day to be
on duty, resolved to be again in attendance.
The operations last till two in the morning.
Between five and six o'clock PirogroF come
back and they operate till eight; then the
work was over, and at nine went home.
~ SCRAP OF IllSToRf.-I ope oistus tio
Fifth was an honored and reverened father
in God, and an intallible successor of the
chief of the Apostles. Macaulay, in his new
volume, tells us that the holy Pope, finding
that he could not directly cope with gang
of outlaws, who had got strong hold in the
Apprentices, had a train of mules loaded with
poisoned wine and food and sent on road
that ran close to the fastness. The robbers
sailed forth, seized the prey, feasted and
= died. The pious old Pope exulted greatly
when he heard that the corpses of thirty
rufians had been found living among the