The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-02-02
OH 4ailg 9onrnal.
HORRORS OF THE HOSPITAL.

-rf HORRORS OF THE HUSP1IAL.
} The following letter from nurse in one of
the hospitals of Sevastopol giyesa terrible pic
ture of the horrors of war, but feebly conveyed
in the terse statements of official dispatches.
'Our loss in killed and wounded has been con-
siderable" Telling all, is not equivalent to
telling every thing, some writer says, and this
letter, contrasted with the Generals despatch
les, shows the truth of the remark:
LETTER BY RUSSIAN SISTER OF MERCY.
"Only few days have passed since 1 last
wrote to you, and now could again fill at least
twenty pages with the events ofthe one single
might between Tuesday and Wednesday. Oh
how much | should have to tell you, but how,
or with what words! Ny God, what horror
lis war! What unnatural cruelty it Isl In
lthe night between Monday and Tuesday our
Ilnen were ordered to dig fresh trenches and
throw up batteries, with strong force to pro-
tect the workmen. We were all night prepar-
ed for attack, but it passed off quietly, and the
whole of Tuesday was calm and still. In the
Ieyening all was again expectation. Every
preparation was made Several rows of mat
resses were were laid on the ground; small ta
Ibles were arranged with lights and writing ma
terials upon them. The attendants were pla-
cling heaps of lint, bandages, dressings, short
Istearin candles, and medicines upon table.
In one corner stood a large Samoan, Ga lamp
Ikettle) and near it two tables, with small tea
pots and cups. On the other side was table
covered with brandy, wine, lemonade, tum-
oilers, and wine glasses. The room is nearly
dark, and a peculiar stiffness reigns around, as
in the air before thunder storm. Fifteen sur
Igeons, are seated round Pirogoff in the room
for or ra IL nd in
pairs. The officer and the smoritel (superin-
Itendent), who have to see that everything is in
readiness, are busily moving about, or are fetch
ling in more medical help and attendance. As
Iyou stand at the door or look out through the
lofty windows at both sides of the room, you
see bright quiet night for the moon is shi-
ming, and the stars are twinkling without
cloud. Between nine and ten o'clock there is
a flash like that of lightning at the windows,
and suddenly it roars till every pane of glass
rattles. By degrees flash follows flash more
frequent and rapidly; you can no longer dis
tinguish 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, even 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 hurri-
edly backward and forward, and the large
room is soon filled with men. The floor is
covered with the wounded; everywhere, where
they can sit, they who have crawled in, do
sit. How they shriek What din! He'll is
let loose around us. You cannot hear the
thunder of the guns for this wailing and groan-
ing That one screams, but not in woIds.
This one cries: "Saye me- brethren; save me.'
Another sees the brandy on the table, and en-
treats me: "Be kind mother to me, and
give me dram.'' In all directions voices are
heard moaningly entreating the surgeons who
are probing the wounds: "Good my lord, do
not rack.'' myself walk with great difficulty
between the rows of stretchers, and cry out:
"Come here, my men, take him to Gustsczink's
house;"-that is where thehopelessly wounded
are carried-''take this man to the Nikolaieffi
battery. Place that man upon this bed. Now
they bring in officers too. The room is crowd
ed densely with the wounded but operations
are not to be thought of at this moment. God
give US but time to bind up the wounds of all
we sisters are all busily engaged. There
they are bringing in an officer; his face is del
uged with blood. 1 wash it off-meanwhile he
takes laboriously out of his snap-purse some
money for the soldiers who brought him to
drink his health. have seen many do the
same thing. l kneel on the floor to light
the doctor-the wounded man has been shot
in the breast-to see if the ball has gone right
through. place my hand under his back
and feel for the wound. You may think how
he lies weltering in his gore. But enough.
You would shudder if I were to describe to
you all the tortures and agonies | witnessed
that night. Dawn comes at last, and the
firing ceases. We have little garden. Pic
ture it to your mind-well, there are wounded
Lying there also. / took brandy md ran down
to it, while the sun was rising most gloriously
over the bay amid the twittering of birds, in
the shade of acacias full of white blossoms. I
i found thirty or thereabouts, all grievously
lwounded, most ofthem already at the point of
death. My Maker and my Lordl what a con-
ltrast to this sweet spring morning. begged
two of the inhabitants, who had been helping
most diligently all night to carry the wounded,
to take these Immediately into the hospital.
Thank Heaven, the bringing in on stretchers
lis at an endi The surgeons, who had gone
home at daybreak to get some rest returned,
when those whose turn it was to be relieved,
departed with the close of the day.
'At o'clock the ope -ations recommended.
Although it was not my day to be on duty,
resolved to be again in attendance. The OPP
erations last till two in the morning. Be-
tween and 6 o'clock Pirogof comes back and
they operate till eight; than the work was
lover, and at nine went home. The cannonade
however, still continued, and grew fercer to-
ward the morning; l accordingly got up about
six, and at seven announced myself ready for
duty. Every thing was in order; 100 wound
ed were brought in this night, 1t is true the
amputation lasted three hours, but at o'clock
the dressing was finished. They brought me
your parcel; opened it and began to tear
bandages off your linens directly They are
bringing me my dinner. All is quiet. Thank
God, this day, then is quiet one. The door