Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-07-29
NUMBER FIVE
THE DAY AFTER THE RATTLE

a Il i.E.
We make the following extracts from the
last letter of Mr. Raymond to the Ny.
ii0"eS- 1t presen "a graphic picture of the
horrors Of war, 81, often spoken Of but so
seldom realized by any but the actual wit
nesses.
Mr.. Raymond remained at Castiglione In
stead Of gong on with the head quarters.
As fast as the wounded could be attended
to, they were removed to Monte Chiaro five
miles from Castiglione, and thence to Breseia.
X miles further, and the first town of anv
size. The wounded were carried on the rude
carts Of the country, drawn By oxen. there
being, apparently no provision by the French
OF proper vehicles. The sky was clear and
the heat Of the sun intense, adding greatly
to the sufsrings Of the unfortunate soldiers.
Mr.. Raymond charac-srizss the sight, as he
stood IN trontof the hospital az Monte Chiaro
as heart -rending in the extreme.
tn roads are perfectly hard and veryd lstv.
and 1t WAS utterly imp 'sslble for we'll pers ms
out protection Of some kind from the heat.
You can Judge, then, Of she i4tease suff rim,
when these thousands Of manned and mutil.
ateI creatures must have endured durinr that
fearful journey Of 10 or l5 miles-performe
at the slowest pace Of heavy ox-n. and com
peiled constantly to stop by some interruu-
ton Of the procession. Il was enough to
melt the most obdurate heart % see the state
IN which they arrived.
As far as the eye could see, densa
cloud Uf white dust marked the ap-
preach Of the advancing train. As ths
carts came lnt0 the town. many Of the
poor wretches stretched out their hands, pit
eously crying tJr water, Ur for wine, as they
were peTlshing Of thirst The people Of the
village had pIeTar d, SO far as possible for
their reception. Committees had been appoin-
tel, quantity Of soup mad be n prepared,
and the young women and men Of the place
went to work to supply the most pressin;
necessities OF the poor creatures who were
suffering on their behalf They went about
irun cart to cart. asking what each needed.
and provided fr them u the best Of their A.
bilIty. Austrians and French were mingled
indiscriminately and were treated with pre-
clselv tEe same kindness and attention. Asa
wounded, and seemed to Sufi = terribly They
were. So :4r as had been convenient. placed
upon tie same c.lrts,-and frequently SIX OF
eight ctr-s would arrive with none but Aus
TRANS upon them; but still more frequently
there would be three Or four AGstrians upon
a cart with twice Is many French and in
many cas- naye seen French soldier assist
ing The Austrian, who lay by his side, into
a.4s
cure for hiin water or something else of which
he seemed 70 b. in need. All differences Of
nationality wer- submerged in the intense and
overnastcfing agonies Ut their common fate.
I pom one cart which came up lay an Austrl-
an who had died on the rotd-and clos. by
his side was French soldier Just able to
raise himself from his place AMI beg for wat
n. As he raised his head he looked over at
DIS companion and saId. as if enyying his lot,
Poor feilow-he needs nothing now" The
Austrian lay at full length upon the cart
lls hands crossed upon his breast. and his
lace, which was turned directly inward to
the sun, wearing au expression If intense
suffering tiv' 'r SIX others, less severely
wounded, were sitting IN front Upon an
other cart lay pDOr fellow, entirely naked
above ms waist. except 4 broad bandage
'licn had been passed sf1uad h,s BODY 10
Protect % irIghtiul wJ.nd received from
nusket ball in l.s siJe,-the ball seemed to
save pas -Hur-ly tbrJ' his body-his faco
Vas IA aat uexpre,sibly sad and he had
ust ~,. enough to lift himself un and
l't i'f water lt was Immediately brought.
'ut a- -I1n as MS condition wa- perceived he
'- ult-d of the cart ON the blanket on which
be- was lying and placed in the hall Of the
iOspitli-5ut ne lived only q few minutes
niger. is they were lifting him out the
'laukct Was drawn from under the feet Of
mother poor fellow wing in the same cart.
nd the motion cytort-d !r IN him crv OF
nSuish more intense o. 90 ever heard
elur,.
But 10 is utterly useless % multiply notices
t individual eases OF suffering. Indeed it
rOcld be impossible t. mention q hundredth
art ol tic instances Of dreadful agony which
ttract7d my special attention at the time:
and II each one Of them could be described
a writing, not even a faint impression would
q given of the fearful horrors Of the scene as
met the eve % a spectator. II you can
naglne the open area IN front of the CITY
Lall hiled with carts, upon every one Of
'hich lay from five to ten Or twelve men in
'ldIers uniform, so far as they were dressed
all-nearly all bareheaded their faces,
-Othes and hands ciotted with blood, groGn-
lS and writing IN in,-and then con-
eve Broadway, as far as the eve can see
, be Filed with an unbrOken procession Of
lst such carts laden in the same sad style,--
he cattle believing, the drivers shouting,
nG with the decOmpaniments Of a great and
ait-reguiatet crowd, you may form some
lea oi character and magnitude OF this dread
n scene Is general thing the wounded
ade but lIttle noise. Many Of them were
% much exhausted, none OF them cried
loud, and parativsiy is" could be heard
rroen. But there y-ls no mlsttklng the
zuress;on Of their Ascss, which spoke of in
.nss ar9av. in spIts Of all their efforts 10
lppress and conquer 1t.
Just before dark on Sunday evening I
oked into the large church in this place TO
lich the greatest nun Der of the wounded
re taken. IL was Catholic Church, of
lrse, As there are no Others here All the
rnlture OF every kind had been taken out,
IN the altar and side chapels as well as
I'M the nave of the building, and upon
VS. OF mattresses extended lengthwise on
3 stomp hoor, as closely as they could lie,
, wounded were placed. All whose iniur-
would permit their removal had
IN taken away and sent on TO Mon
.hiaro, Brescla and other towns,
4 only those were left who seemed very
ar end. In one side chapel lay eight Aus
or three gasping for breath and
the very act OF dylng-and not one f the
ole eight could possibly, as it seemed TO
B., live an hour. The entire floor was COW
d with the poor victims Of war, nearly al
oidly approaching the same extremity.
n and women, charged with the care Of
IN, were passing to and fro-not TO soothe
comfort the dying, for there was no time
that-but looking for those who might
Il be saved. And over the altar. looking
wn upon this horrid scene, was an immense,
ll-painted, life-like picture Illustrating the
mon on the Mount, and representing the
deerner saying 70 those about him: Bless
ara the peace-makers, for they shall be
led the eaildren of God - What an awful
nment did that scene present upon. that
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