Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-07-28

Ger of rank, whose face wore so gbastly a
look as to make it evident he was dying
On reaching Montechiaro, and stopping for
a moment to rest our horses, We we're told
that great battle was then going on in the
plain before Castiglione; and going at once
to the summit of some old Notifications which
once defended the town, we could see with
our glasses the smoke of the engagement.
We lost no time in pushing forward, al
though we were told that We could not reach
Castiglione, because the roads were COM
pletely occupied by artillery held in reserve.
We went on, however, continuing to meet
carriages and carts laden with wounded, and
passing the French camps of the previous
night, came to point, at about half a mile
from the town, where park of artillery wag-
ons was defling from their camp into the
road. Watching our chance, we drove in
between two of the wagons, and so entered
the town under cover of the enormous cloud
of dust which they raised. The main street
was densely crowded with carts, carriages,
horses, donkeys, oxen, soldiers, suffers, and
persons and animals of every description
We pushed our way, without hindranee, d.
rectly past the house marked as the Quar-
tier Generate, or headquarters of the En-
peror, and were thus within the camp. We
had gone but short distance when We came
to where the great procession of the woun-
ded was turning down cross street to a
church which had been taken for hospital.
A sICKENING SIGHT.
1t was certainly the most dreadful sight I
ever saw. Every conceivable kind Of wound
which can be inflicted upon men was here
exhibited. All who were able to do 80 were
obliged to walk-the wagons and animals at
command being all required for those who
could not be otherwise moved. Some walk
ed along, their faces completely covered
with blood from sabre cuts upon their heads.
Many had their arms shattered-hundreds
had their hands tied up-and some carried
most ghastly wounds upon their faces
Some had tied up their wounds-and others
had stripped away the clothing that chafed
and made them worse. [ saw one man walk
ing along with firm step and resolute air
naked to the waist, and having g. bullet
wound upon his side, an ugly cash along his
cheek, and deep bayonet-thrust, received
from behind, in his shoulder. Most of those
who were walking wore serious look-con-
versing but little with one another, though
they walked two and two-and few Of them
carried upon their faces any considerable ex-
preston of pain.
Those who were more severely injured
rode upon donkeys or in carts-and few
were carried upon mattresses on mems shoul.
ders. But these we're mostly officers, and
nearly all saw carried in that way were so
badly wounded that their recovery is scarce
ly possible. One had both his legs crushed
by cannon-ball. Another had received a
ball in his thigh, and was evidently suffer,
ing the most intense agony. Many of those
whose wounds were in their legs were sea.
ted in chairs swung across donkey-one
being upon each side. Several who were
thus carried, and were supported by soldiers
walking by their side, were apparently un.
conscious, and seemed to be dying. Then
would come carts, large and small, crrrying
three, FIVE, and some of them ten or fifteen
each. A steady stream of these ghastly vic
Tins of the battle of the day. poured through
the town. I stood in the crowd by the side
of them as the sad procession passed along,
and watched it at this point for over an
hour
1t was not interrupted for MON ment-ex.
cept now and then by a crowd of prisoners
and it continued thus from about ten in
the morning, when it began to flow, until
left the street long after dark. Every church,
every large hall, every private house in the
town has been taken for the service of the
wounded. Those whose injuries are slight,
after having them dressed, pass at once into
the ranks and miDgle with their comrades.
l looked into the church as ! passed by
All the seats, ratings, &C., had been reno
med, mattresses of hay had been spread upon
the floor, and were completely filled with
wounded men, in every stage of suffering
and of peril, lying side by side. The sur
geons were dressing their wounds, Sisters Of
Charity and other women were giving them
wine, and otherwise ministering to their
comfort, but morning, I am sure, will dawn
upon large proportion of them relieved for
ever from their pain. If anything can be
more horrible than soldiers life, it certain.
ly is soldiers death.
When we drove iuto town, we were warn
ed by French gentlemen, who had arrived a
little before US, that unless we placed our
carriage in the stable or grounds of some
private citizen, it would certainly be seized
for the services Of the wounded, as his had
been. As it was all we could rely on for a
bedroom, as we'll as means of locomotion,
we were unwilling thus to loose it. On 60
ing to private house, therefore, to make
such an arrangement, we found it had been
taken for hospital, and among its inhabi-
tants was viivandere-a woman of perhaps
80, dressed in the style of our Bloomers, who
had received ball in her hand while fol-
lowing her occupation and carrying water
and wine to the soldiers during the action.
Two surgeons from the Emperor's family
we're dressing her wound-and though pale
from loss of blood she was conversing cheer
fully aud even gaily with them.