The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-08-30

me 10 SEND forward my Assistant OurgeOn,
together with the Hospital attendants,
members of the Band, ambulances, litters,
stretchers, &C., Immediately in the rear
of the regiment so as to convey to me the
wounded, as soon as the temporary dres~
sings had been applied on the field by my
Assistant as all the amputations and such
other operations as might be necessary,
were to be performed exclusively at the
Hospital.
ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
Having sent forward the assistants and
ambulances, there being as yet no duty for
me to perform, l went upon the battle field {,
and was Immediately in the rear of my reg
iment when it first came under and returned
fire.
OPERATIONS COMMENCE AT THE HOSPITAL.
The first man of our regiment brought to
me wounded had his arm nearly shot off,
and l took him in an ambulance and went
with him to the Church Hospital; and be-
fore l got his arm dressed the wounded
were poured in thick upon me, until l had
all and more than l could attend to, espe.
cially as no temporary dressings had been
applied to the men on the field
THE DEFEAT ANNOUNCED AND THs SURGEONS
ORDERED TO RETREAT.
While working among my wounded
there being at that time over fifty of our
brave Minnesotians stretched bleeding and
ghastly upon the grass, under the trees OF
the beautiful grove wherein the Hospital
was located, a mounted officer of General
McDowell's staff suddenly rode up to the
door of the Church and loudly cried out to
US =" We're whipped to death-a retreat
has been Ordered--,etreat immediately"
THE CRIES OF THE WOUNDED.
At this moment this was the condition
OF things at the church. There were in it,
or lying Immediately around it, on the grass,
nearly five hundred wounded soldiers, near
ly four hundred of which were our own men
all moaning and groaDing with pain
some calling for water" "water "just
one drop of cold water" others, . o Doc
tor, come stop this bleeding or I'll blead to
death !"-" for Gods sake, Doctor, come
take off this arm," or " this Leg" or L" take
out this ball." &c.
THE WOUNDED BEG THE SURGEONS TO g KILL
When the officer was heard by them or.
dering the Surgeons and hospital attend
ants to " retreat along with the army,
was in the midst of our Minnesota boys,
attending to them, and the poor fellows
cried out to me, " If you are going to leave
US kill US first, the enemy will bayonet US as
they did the wounded before" (referring to
the skirmish of the l8th) and Don't let US
live to be butchered by them y while some
of the enemies wounded, mainly Alabami
ans and Carolinians also begged "For
Gods sake, don't leave us to die, without
our wounds dressed, because we're enemies +"
DIR. STEWART PROMISES THE MINNESOTA
WOUNDED TO STAY WITH THEM.
replied to our Minnesota boys, that
disbelieved the reports that the enemy bay
onetted the wounded, and that 10 no event
would l leave them or obey the order to re-
retreat--this they might rely upon."
THE SURGEONS CONSULT, AND MOSTLY CON.
CLUDE TO RUN.
Having thus calmed them s0meW hat,
went into the Church and got together with
the other Surgeons, about twenty-five in
all, and briet consultation was had as to
what weshould do; when all but five or
six concluded to run, and some of them
forthwith went off at double quick with
out 80 much as taking their instruments.
DR.. STEWART REMAINS.
For myself feel no regret that deemed
it my duty to be one of the few who de.
liberately stayed rather than the many who
saved themselves from Imprisonment, or
from the necessity of giving their parole, by
quickly retiring and leaving the wounded
to bleed and expire unaided, at least bv
them.
If such conduct on my part be treason,
the malignant souls. professional or what
not, here, or at Washington, who covertly
strike at me in newspapers or otherwise,
may make the most of it.
l have only to say to those who were be-
reaved and afflicted in this State, by that
awful battle, that their dear ones who were
wounded received, night and day, every at
tention could bestow and of those Of our
brave boys who died at Sudley Church, it
may comfort their wives, mothers and ais.
tiers little to know that they died in nv
arms, and that no stranger wiped the death
damp from their brows, and caught their
last earthly gaze, and laid them tenderIy
and gently down into their humble graves
beneath the tall cypress trees near the bat.
tie field where in every breeze are sung the
requiems OF Minnesota's dead, who manfullv
fought to preserve the integrity of our re.
public and died under the 'old flag"
DIR. s. HAD TINE ENOUGH TO HAVE GONE IF HE
DESIRED TO.
But it may be alleged that l staid be.
cause l had not time to escape, or the means
OF going. To this l would answer, that I
might have left along with our own regi.
ment (the last to retreat), which did not
reach the church on their way back in good
order from the battle field. until the cnnanI