Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-08-02
MISCELL A n Y .
The Day after the Horrors of W.

$50 ELL A N Y.
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The Day after the VlctOry-Horrors OF war.
Mr.. RAYMOND, of the New York Times, IN q
letter written from Oastiglione, on the 27th uit'
graphically describes the terrible scenes folioW-
ing that day of blood:
The day after the battle, instead OF gong Ior-
ward with the headquarters of the army, re-
mained behind to see the wounded and go over
the ground where the fight had been most severe.
During the whole of Friday night, and all
through Saturday and Sunday, the wounded
ot both armies continued to be brought ln.-
They were removed from the field where they
Law as rapidly as possible, and brought to some
point where their wounds could be dressed. All
the churches aud accessible buildings OF TINS
town, public and private, were occupleo-the
officers being generally taken to private houses
a. far as practicable. But for thousands no shell
Ter whatever could be found, and they were from
necessity left in the open air. As tast as their
wounds could be dressed they were removed to
the next town hsyond-which is Montechlaro-
five miles distant-and from thence to Brescia,
twelve miles further, that being the first town
of apy considerable size and at all adequate 10
the care of such an immense number OF persons.
| was at Montechiaro when the great procession
began to arrive. -.
AT the entrance of tho town stands a large
building used as hospital, fronting upon a
small open space and being placed at the angles
of two diverging roads. AS the wounded ar
rived those of them who could 60 no further were
taken off the carts and left here, while the rest
moved on to Brescia. l never saw so heart
rendng sight as was presented In front OF thaI
hospital. The army seems not to be PROVIDED
with any means of removing the wounded, out
relies entirely upon the conveyances they can
procure from the surrounding peasantry. Every
thing for miles around had been called into
reouisition. For the most part they consisted OF
the rude, heavy OK carts OF the farmers, made 10
carry stone or other ponderous articles over the
fields. Each of them had a flat platform SIX or
eight feet wide and twelveor fifteen long. some
hay was spread upon this, and upon that the
wounded soldiers were placed as thlckly as they
could be laid, without shelter OF any kind, or
piows for their heads or blaDketstor thelr limbs,
except such as they might happen to have upon
them. The weather has been excessively warm
the storm on the day OF the battle being the
last rain that has fallen-and yesterday ana TO-
day the sky has beeu perfectly clear and the air
heated with the wsrmest rays OF an Italian SUM-
The roads are perfectly hard and very dusty,
and it was utterly impossible tor well persons 10
travel along them with any comfort without
protection of some kind from the heat. You can
Judge then of the intense suffering which these
thousands of manned and mutilated creatures
must have endured during that fearful journey
of ten or fifteen miles--periormed at the slowest
pace of heavy oxen, and compelled constantly
to stop by some interruption ofthe procession
Ii was enough to melt the most obdurate heart
10 see the state in which they arrived. Ihe
peasants who drove them seemed not to have
the slightest sense of their condition, or to take
the least pains to alleviate their agony. Some
of the soldiers themselves-whose wounds were
least serious and permitted them to move about
had cut branches from the willows and other
trees that border the road, and made OF them a
slight shade for some of those who could only
lie upon their backs, their faces turned to the
brazen aud the burning sky. AS far as the eye
could see. dense cloud OF white dust marked
the approach of the advancing train. As the
carts came into the town, many of the poor
wretches stretched out their hands, piteously
cryiug for water, or for wine, as they were
pershing of thirst.
The people of the village had prepared, so fa
as possible, for their reception. COMMITTEES
had been appointed, quantity ofsoup had beer
prepared, and the young women and men OF th'
place went to work to supply the most pressing
necessities OF the poor creatures who were suffer
ing on their behalf. They went about from car
to cart, asking what each needed, and provided
for them to the best of their ability. Austrian
and French were mingled indiscriminately ant
J were treated with precisely the same kindues
and attention. AS general thing the Austrian
were very badly wounded, aud seemed to suite
terribly. They were, SO far as had been conve
nent, placed upon the same carts-and frequent
| ly six or eight carts would arrive with none bu
Austrians upon them; but still more frequentl!
there would be three or four Austrans upon {
cart with twice as many French,-snd in many
cases have seen French soldier assisting the
Austrian, who lay by his side, into some easier
position, or endeavoring to procure tor hin
water or something else of which be seemed t(
be in need.
| All differences of nationality were submerged
in the intense and overmastering agonies of theil
common fate. Upon one cart which came NJ
| lay an Austrian who had died on the road-and
close by his side was a French soldier just able
to raise bimselffrom his place and beg for water
As he raised his head he looked over at hit
companion and said, as ifenvying his lot, "Pool
fellow-he needs nothing now." The Austrian
lay at full length upon the cart,--his hands
crossed upon his breast, and his face, which was
turned directly upward to the sun, wearing az
expression of intense suffering. Five or six
Others, less severely wounded, were sitting in
'front.' Upon another cart lay a poor fellow
entirely naked above his waist, except a broad
bandage which had been passed around his body
to protect frightful wound received from q
musket ball in his sde,-the ball seemed to have
passed entirely through his body-his face was
pale and inexpressibly sac, and he had just
strength enough left to lift himself up and beg
for.water. 1t was Immediately brought, and as
soon as bis condition was perceived he was lifted
off the cart in the blanket on which he was
lying and placed in the hall of The hospital-but
he hved only few minutes longer. As they
were lifting him out the blanket was drawn
from under the feet of another poor fellow lying
in the same cart, and the motion extorted from
him cry of anguish more intense than ever
heard before.
But it is utterly useless to multiply notices Of