Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-04-10
The Horrors Of war.

Correspondence from w lncUc-tcf, makes
one shudder. God forgive the Ab.
olitionists and Scccsaouists, who plunged
us into this war, for mans nature has
not enough in it Of the exalted Christian
for such forgiveness as that:
"1hc scene Of the conflict is terrible
Civilians are generally prcvea ted from
visiting it for the present. it is impossi-
bic to discribe the scene so as to give n
realization of its ghastliWss and terror,
which any one ought to blush not to per-
ccivc while walking amid the remnants Of
humanity which are scattered about .-
Bodies in all the frightful attitudes which
a violent and unnatural death could pro-
duce, stained with blood, mangled and
lacerated, perhaps, eiten bcgrimmed
and black lay scattered here and there,
sometimes almost in heaps!
Some had crawled away when wound
ed to a comfortable place to die. Two
men lay almost covered with straw into
which they had scrambled, and lay until
death released them. In the woods thro'
which our troops had to pass to charge
the rebels lie the largest number Of our
dead, and beyond, on the outer side Of
the wall from beyond which they poured
their volleys Of balls at our men, large
numbers Of the rebels lie, pierced in the
forehead or face as they rose above their
hiding place to shoot at the federals.-
There is a peculiar ghastliness in the ap-
pcara.ce of the cnomy's dead. Did not
their dress distinguish them, their faces
would enable any one instantly to tell
which were the Fedorals and which not.
One would think they were all Indians,
SO very dark had they become from their
exposure, sleeping without tents as they
did for a long time at the beginning of
the war.
"In the Court house are placed large
number of the wounded, our own and the
enemy's without discrimination, and in
several places in town hospitals have been
established since the battle Il is difficult
to COMPEL ones self to dwell long enough
upon the scenes witnessed there, of the
dying and dead, to give them a faithful
description. Surgeons and attendants
have been constantly at labor, without
rest, in attending to the unfortunate sol
diers in the ospitals. Yet after all their
efforts, it was long before many of the
wounded could be properly cared for and
their wounds properly dressed.
"Ihe courtroom was filed with the
sufferers, lying upon the floor, SO many
that it was difficult to pass about among
them. Among them was the Confederate
/ Captain Jones, who had both eyes sho
out and whose face, covered thickly Will
clotted blood presented the most repul
sive and piL<bIe sight which one coulC
well behold. Some, from loss Of blood
were wan and pale, and some, from tn,
/ injuries to the face, were swollen, distor
ted and discolored. Some, indeed, were
cheerful, and rejoicing that, while THEN
comrades were many Of them SO seriously
injured, their slight wounds would soon
heal and become honorable scars, testify.
ing their patriotism and loyalty. But tho
ma jority which | saw here were danger.
Gus wounds, and same were to suffer am.
pntations, and their fellow soldiers about
them, suffering from their own wounds
were obliged to listen TO their cries and
groans, and to hear the grating of the
sugeon's saw, premonitor Of their own
hard fate. l saw many IN the agonies of
death. One who was raised and seated
half upright, haunts me now with his
pale, sorrowful countenance. He was al
most dead and every moment would raise
his head, open his eyes, and stare vacant
ly around, as if he would assure himsel
that he had not lost all the sense of sight
"Here, also, lay some who had JUS
died, and as | passed through the hall {
gray-haired guard, resting upon his mus
ket, with a solemn, grave countenance
was standing beside number Of dead, il
the attitude of death struggle, each will
a paper pinned to his clothing, stating
the regiment, name, &C., of the deceased
Read, Abolitionists of the North ! All
this is, in good part, your horrible work
You began all this twenty years ago
You laid the trains for Davis, Toombs,
&C., of the South to firc.-N Y. ErpresS.