Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-08-16
BEDFORD. PA. FRIDAY. AUG. l6. 1861

| ly wounded. The Lieutenant aud others iI-
stantly rushed to the falling officer. Lieut..
Elliott, with twelve msn Of the Fifth and Tenth
Companies Of his regiment, raised the Colonel
and started to bear him off the Geld. No
sooner was this group Of men discerned by the
6eld telescopes of the enemy, than they were
made target for an entire battery of rifed
cannon, and number of infantry. The shots
struck on every side Of them, beng aimed
with great precision, aud they were soon Cov-
cred with dust thrown over them by the flying
balls. Finally, she'll thrown by the rifed
cannon battery struck 10 the centre of the
group, exploded and killed Eve men OF those
who were bearing the dying Colonel. The bat
terry continued to play on them until they were
out of range, but they escaped without furths
or serious casualties.
Lieutenant Elliott says that tbs shots which
struck near them we're not the chance shots Of
general engagement, but were aimed at them
sIecially-they we're discovered by the field
glasses of the rebels and then the guns were
aimed directly at them, and played on theu
till they we're out of range--and with what
murderous effect has been stated.
There was no possibility of mistaking the
nature Of this group. or their humane errand.
| The rebels saw number of men bearing FROM
the fold wounded oficeF, and instead of
Withholding their fire, invariably the practice
OF civilized foe, they scientifically took the
exact range Of the retrealine group, aud
brought whole battery to bear on them, kill
ing nearly halt OF them before they had snc-
ceeded in placing their dying Colonel in place
of safety.
| Colonel Wood, of the Fourteenth New York
Regiment (BroOklyn,) being wounded, was
placed in an ambulance, and was being carried
| off the field. The ambulance was fred at per.
sistently By battery of rifed cannon. A
projectile from one of these guns st last took
OF the top of the ambulance, passed on ami
killed three men Of tho Rhode Island Battery,
and dismounted their gun. The FIRE was kept
up SO unremittingly, that the nlen iH charge
of the ambulance wers forced to leave it. In
this case also the ambnlsnes was made special
target, and wss issd ~ until il was probably
destroyed.
Lieutenant Colonel Joseph J. Chambers,
now commanding the New York Tweaty-eigh,b
Volunteers, the Colonel being wounded and in
the in6rmary, tells the following story.
Lieut.. Colonel Chamblrs, was in the thick Of
the 6ght, aud while hs himself was fastening
RUM rebel deliberately bAyouet one of our
wounded men, who was lying near tho bank of
the stream. Even in the exigency of the mo-
ment Oolonel. Chambers wheeled bis horse, rode
up to the rebel aud shot him dead.
Surgeon Barnes of the New York Twenty.
eighth Volunteers was in the fight all through,
and came out Of it in his shirt sleeves, having
lost coat, sash, watch, and all bis surgical in
strumeDts, having been charged on by The Black
Horse Cavalry and compelled to leave the
field, being driven from under q tree where be
had established his temporary quarters, aud
where he was attending to the wounds of about
twensy-fss injured men, part Of whom were
Seoessionists.
Surgeon Barnes went mp to the battle field
in the rear of tbe attsking column, and as soon
as our men began to fall, he took position
With his Assistants under tree, in little m.
vine. The wounded men we're brought 10 him,
and be took off his green sash and hung it on
the tree to signify that the place was under the
charge of q surgeon. The injured men we're
brought in rapidly, and in fifteen minutes be
had under bis charge nearly thirty. AS fast
as possible he attended to their hurts, and 10
short time had been compelled to perform q
number Of capital operations. He amputated
four legs, three arms, hand and foot, and
attended to number Of minor injuries. By
this time the enemy had discovered the place,
and the nature Of the business of the men in
charge, aud began to pour in musket balls and
projectiles from riaed cannon. The place be-
came unsafe for the wounded men, and il was
seen to be necessary to remove them. The
Surgeons Assistants ana be had become sepa-
r. 4 \ L.. 4 4
for ambulances and was obliged 10 leave the
wounded men and 60 himself.
/ 1t was no easy matter to procure ambulans
Ces enough, and it Vas probably thirty minutes
before the Surgeon returned with the necessa-
ry assistance. When he returned he found
that every one Of these wounded men bad been
bayoneted, or sabrod, aud was dead. They
wero literally cut to pieces.
Sum up these facts. There were thirty
men all dangerously. .hurt-they had all been
cared for by the Surgeon--they were lying on
the grass iu agonies Of pain and thirst, with
bandaged stuinps of limbs, resting on the lit
tie hammoeks--with their severed legs ana
arms scattered about-and, if more could be
needed to show the nature of the place, the
Surgeons green sash was flying ss . Gag in the
tree, aud the Surgeons Instruments we're ly-
irg in sight, aud yes these thirty helpless men
were there and then deliberately busohered.
The Surgeon gathered up his instruments
aud started TO retire to tbe rear, sgain 10 re-
sumo his duties. He was discovered by the
enemy, and, although tha boxes Of instruments
under bis arms designsted beyond dispute his
rank and Office, the infantry and full battery
of riHed cannon played on him till he was ont
of their reach--ne was compelled to drop his
instruments aud retreat as best he could.
Colonel Slocum, cf the New York Second
Regiment, was wounded BY grspsshot through
the thigh. The Surgeon went TO bis assistance,
found him, and attempted to dress his wound;
but the rife cannon commenced playing on