St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-09-19
Thrilling Soenes--Burying the
Dead at Manassas. ,,:

It commenced TO rain early on Monday
morning-the cay after the battle-and
continued to pour down in torrents all that
day and night. tuesday the sun came
out, and it was very hot, and it was on
Wednesday when I made my second visit
to the field. All Of our wounded that
could be found, were cared for on Sunday
night, though many of them were exposed
to the drenching rain Of Monday, their
tents not having arrived. This was NJ
disadvantage, however, a. it served to
keep down fever and prevent morti6ca-
ton.
On Monday our dead were buried, or
boxed up and sent home for interment,
aud many Of the enemy's wounded were
brought in and attended to. All day
Tuesday was devoted to burying the dead
on the other side, and yet the work had
not been half finished when / arrived on
the field Wednesday moruiny. So intol-
erable was the stencil arising from the
dead, and especially from the horses, that
our men had been compelled to suspend
their humane labors. I did hear that
some of the prisoners We had taken were
subsequently sent out and ordered to fin-
ish the work, which they did, though re-
luctantly. -
It was a sad sight-the battle field that
day. The enemy's dead still lay scattered
in every direction, and the silent yultures
had begun to circle above them. They
were we'll clad, and were larger and stout
er men than ours. Nearly all Of them
were lying upon their backs, some Of
them with their legs and arms stretched
out to the utmost. Many had their feet
drawn up somewhat, while their arms from
the elbows, were raised. and the hands
rather closed, after the fashion of boxers.
1t was singular and yet the prevailing g
attitude. Most of them had sandy or red
hair, and have observed that this is the
predominant color among our own soldiers.
Those who were not killed instantly, had
almost invariably torn opeu their shirt col
lars, and loosened their clothing about the
waist. There was another mark 10 adIi
ton to this, by which We could tell wheth-
er their death was sudden or lingering
It was the color Of the face. IF the body
had time to become cool and quiet before
death, the corpse was pale, though not 50
much 50 as those who die from disease -
Those who were killed instantly, however,
and while heated and excited, were purple
and black in the face. In such cases, the
blood being in full circulation, there was
not time for it to return to the heart be-.
fore the badly had ceased all its functions
At least, suppose such is the exrlana-
ton, and physician confirms me in it.
Such Of the poor wretchcs as had been
buried were placed in long bitches or
trenches, some twenty or thirty in the
same trench. OF course it was impossible
to procure cofins or boxes for them
They we're laid away in the same attitude
in which they were found, and in which
their bodies had become stiff aad rigid
one With his arms aed legs stretched out
another bent nearly d,uble-a third with
his hands raised, as described above One
poor fellow had died with his arms clasp
ed around a small tree, and others with
their hands clasped tightly about their
muskcts, or such twiss or roots as were
in their reach. One was found with his
Bible opened on his breast. Some had
their hands crossed and the whole body
composed after the manner Of = corpse
A few were found upon whom there was
not the least wound or mark. Whether
they had died from sun stroke, or from
exhaustion, or simple fright, it was impos-
sible to say, though probably it was from
the first cause . -....
was glad to sec that most OF our own
dead had been buried upon the battle
ground-many Of them where they had
fallen. 1u some instances those belonging
to the same company or regiment were
gathered up and buried near each other,
each little hillock being marked by u
board or stone with the name o. the hero
cut upon it. What more fitting cemetery
could b. found for the gallant dead than
the field which had been sancti6ed by the
precious blood and rendered immortal BY
their deeds Of valor! I can sympathize
With the tender sentiment that would gath
er up the honored ashes of its loved ones,
and transport them f>r interment in the
old family burying ground in the far
South aud yet I can but admire that
stern patriotism-i if it may BE- thus called
which would prefer the torn and bloody
plains Of Manassas to the proudest mauso-
leum below the sun. ~. cs-.rI .-~- -.
Not the least interesting part of the bat
tls field to me was body Of thick woods
three-f -fourths Of mile 10 the rear of this
sattery, and skirting the road BY which
the enemy had approached from Sudley's
Ford. A large body Of his forces had evi-
IDENTIFY halted here long enough to consult
their haversacks. It was ! shasty plate
Of soup," however. if any one may Judge
from The immcnse quantities Of bread and
fotler eatables, len scattered upon the
9round. Among other thing, / found