The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-02-14
THE KENTUCKY VICTORY,
Scenes on the Battle Field.

letter written by a gentleman who is Bril-
gade Surgeon in the army of General
Schoepff, gives graphic description of that
part OF battle which comes under a sur.
geon'a notice
SOMERSET, Jan. q, l862.--l snatch one
moment this evening to write you, as well
as can amid the multiplicity OF my duties.
| have just passed through scenes beyond
the power of pen to describe. We met the
enemy in a fair fight.
AS told you in my last, we were ex
pecting it every day. We have now
'opened the balI'' 10 pertection--setting an
example which, hope, will be followed by
our whole army and make short work OF
this rebellion.
You will REMEMBER General Thomas was
approaching Us with reinforcements. Gen,
0choepf and staff went cut under the pro.
lection of "a cavalry escort to meet him and
make arrangements for a battle. We
stayed that night and returned next morn
ing Saturday. Sunday morning we had
dispatches from General Thomas --"the en-
NhiJ oNhS w taIbONh'
General SchoeptT ordered me to be in
readiness to go on with him. Regimental
surgeons, amoulances, Instruments, sc. &c.
were soon in order. We all started toge-
ther. We looked we'll and felt well. |
dressed just as you have seen NE when go,
ing for days fishing or gunning-my only
badge my green sash. The other surgeons
were in tuli dress, and were much surprised
al my flannel coat, coarse heavy boots tout
side my pants), and old soft hat. Soon af-
ter starting we heard cannonading. The
General said l might go on in advance, as
my services might be needed. Itook three
or four surgeons, pushed on and reached
the battle, which was raging iuriousIy; and
oh, how well my beautiful horse behaved
he seemingly knew as well as l what was
going on.
The excitement of the scene quelIed all
fear. Our men deliberately threw off their
overcoats, formed in line OF battle, marched
right up to work as il Oh dress parade. 1t
was magnificent AS soon as the men be
gan to fall the surgeons were at work, and
they all did well.
For three hours the firing was incessant
On both siaes--balls flying like haistoLes,
cutting off limbs and branches Of trees; the
roaring of cannon and whistling of SHELLS
was awful.
When our reinfOrcements reached the
field the enemy began to fall back. We
followed them up closely and drove them
into their iutrenchments before sundown.
AS they retreated we were attending to
their wounded as well as our own.
l ordered them removed to the buildings
within mile Of the ground. Barns, hou
ses, shops, huts, tents, were all thus occu.
pied.
We remained with the wounded and dy.
ing all that night, and followed the retiring
line of battle the next day to their intrench.
ments few more shots from our artillery
drove what remained of the brave Zollicof.
fer's army across the Cumberland.
They fought we'll and were sure of beat
ing US, but are now completely dishearten.
ed and disbanded. So precipitous was theil
flight that most of their arms, all their
transportation trains Zone thousand horses
or more), all their cannon, ammunition
commissary and hospital stores-everythiug
pertaining to the army-fel into our hands
In going over the field l found Genera
Zollicofer, q fine, noble looking man
stretched in death.
We took large number of prisoners
among them five surgeons-one brigade
surgeon on Zollicofers staff, and gentle
manly fellow be is too. They were all sci
at work assisting our own surgeons.
performed the first amputation in q
blacksmith's shop. The gratitude express
ed by these poor wounded and dying mer
has done me more good than all I have ever
experienced before.
One poor 'secesh' soldier from Mississippi
had an arm taken off, and one of the Ala
bama men a leg They said had they
known they were fighting such men as they
found us (the surgeons) to be, they would
never have taken gun in hand. Anc
when our men were ordered to give then
something to eat, and brandy to those who
were faint and exhausted, tears of gratitude
filled their eyes. Some inquired what We
thought of their wounds, and when tolt
they were mortal and they could live but 6
few hours, asked for a chaplain, who wa!
Immediately sent to them. Such scenes
would soften the hardest heart.
l have been two nights with scarcely any
sleep, and that on a wet blanket on tn,
ground. You cannot conceive of sucl
rain and mud. My good horse has had tt
fare with his master. l could find nothing
for him to eat; he was hitched up all nigh
to tree in the rain. To-day he sank 81
deep in the mud my feet touched the ground
l eat from last night till four o'clock thi
P. M. only small bit of dry biscuit and I
| tin cup of black tea.