Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-11-15
Q0ortester 4ailp Spp.


ers, was sad victory to the people of Rich
mond' In proportion there were many more
citizens OF Richmond present on the battle field
than OF any other city of the south and the
loss OF The southern army was very much
greater than was supposed at the north |
have heard Beauregard declare his belief that
three or four southerners fell to every northern
soldier BE this as it may, Richmond, aft,r
the battle, was yelled in mourning 1t seemed
as II there was scarcely family that had not
lOst friend or relative; many had lost their
head and every male member OF their once
loving domestic circle. Manassas was il hard
ly gained victory, though its moral effects
were great; but il was a victory that spread
mourning and desOaton over tile land for
hundreds OF the most beloved and cherished
among the youth of the south fell on that fa.
tai day. They had gone forth in the flush and
confidence of youthful hope and mistaken pat
rlotlsm, and can we wonder that no sounds
OF rejoicing Were heard such as are usual
alter victory, however unexpectedly or hard.
~ won, even though the wall Of tile widow
the mother Ol the orphan child mingles with
the huarse bray OF the trumpet and the shouts
of The VlctorS. No song of triumph was sung
IN Richmond or IN the surrounding villages
and now, tor the first time the people appear.
ed TO realize the horrors OF the war they had
entered upon, without seeming to have calciI-
lated lis cost. Those who had cherished hope
raised by The reports that those they loved
were not Dead but only wounded, WERE alas !!
doomed to suffer more bitter anguish than
that of their fellow citizens who wept over the
bers of the slain.
No pen can adequately describe the horror
OF the scenes witnessed by anxious crowds, as
day by day the wounded were brought in and
carried to the houses OF their friends or to the
St. Charles Hotel, which had been fitted D as
an St,itu .tI,s
OF the battle fields OF Europe have been the
arena Of such hOrrid individual suffering |
Lave read OF 10 campaign except that of Mos
COW, where the French soldiers persisted by
tens OF thousands, III every inconCeivable ago
ny, that can offer comparison in this respect
1t may seem absurd to speak of Moscow and
Bull Run in the same breath, but l do not re.
ter 10 the relative magnitude Of the campaigns
nor compare the numbers engaged, the dura
ton OF the struggle, nor the loss OF life. My
Compari ON refers only to the peculiar suffer
ings OF the wounded, as day after day they
were brought into the city i'll every Conceiva
BILE and inconcevable condition o. mutiaton
and writing IN agony where modification
had not already supervened, or where the stu
por which generally precedes death by VIC
lence, had not seized upon the hapesS victim
OF this fratricidal strife. In most battle-feldS
Otmodein times skiltul surgeons and atten-
tive nurses have been III prompt attendance,
and the wounded have received every posi-.
bic attention compatible with their uniortu~
nate position but with the wounded OF the
southern army, at least, this was not the case
Possibly sufficient number )f surgeons could
not be provided and | know That many vito
were present were poorly supplied with surgi
cal instruments, or with medicines of a nature
10 alleviate suffering, and that they did the
best they could under the circumstances but
saw men brought in who had lain ter tour
and twenty hours ON the field where the) had
f"'i~'', "'.s.islei, a.iId without drop of
water to Stake their burning thirst.
| saw men brought in delirious with fever,
raving like madmen, and failing to recognize
their nearest and dearest friends. Some were
borne past, upon whose liYid features death
had already set his sea-the pItfGl appealing
glance OF the last glazing ey t being the only
sign that lie still fingered. The features of
many were so distorted by pain that they
scarcely appeared to be human and most
horrible OF all, | witnessed at least dozen
poor creatures brought in who had either lost
Il limb by a cannon ball or had suffered the
anlputetiOn OF a leg or an arm. Ii is hard TO
decide which OF these two classes of victims
had suffered the greater agony-thuse vino
had lain uncared for save by some friendly
cDmrade who had bound mis- kerchief over the
limb to stop the etfusion of blood and thus
preserve the vital spark-or Rlose who had en-
dured the pain of amputati0n, either too bur.
riedly or else unskiItully performed. In sew
era OF the latter cases the ligatures had slip
ped or become loosened, the bandages had TALL
en- Oft, and the bones pr0truded beyond the
mangled flesh while in both ali c the bones
and flesh were black and fostering and
swarming with maggots. People shuddered
and sickened as they turned away from the
!lOTrlu snectaclp women tainted in Iln SlrpptS