Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-04-25
Iwritten for the DslaWArs GaE=tts.l
Pitsburgh Landing-View Of the Battle Field
ths Sick and Wounded.


ths Sick and Wounded.
Editor Gaseiie; Steamer Magnolia
being chartered and the following Surgeons,
q. K. Gushing, Of Cleveland; 5. VI. Smith,
s. Loving, r. n. Bar, J. B. O'Conucr, ofCel.
umbus; Thomas Cochran, Of Toledo; f. Hyatt
and I. B. Williams, Of Delaware, and others
thames not remembered) being employed by
the Governor of Ohio, started zen route for
Pittsburgh, where they arrived on Sunday 3th
inst, al o'clock A. ua
The frst thing that met the eye was the Op-
eratiOu on poor wounded soldier, amputa-
tion at the shoulder joiDt-injury, gunshot
wound
We divided our party into small squads and
went out over the battle field in pursuit of the
sick and wounded. The scene presented gives
evidence Of one Of the hardest battles ever
fought on the American continent, and was
attended 10y the grcaiest mortality Gems
Sherman and Netherlands brigales occupied
the center, and was told by the brigade Sur
geon, at Gen. Sherman's headquarters, that
the surprise was complete on Sunday morn
ing. He said that the rebel army lay within
| y miles Of our Camp OH Saturday night un-
observed, and on Sunday morning the eneniy's
advance guard was in the camp numbering the
men before they were observed, and adds, they
were compelled to retreat, and the rebels yelI-
ed after them "Ijull Run" Bull Run" Some
at the time Of the surprise were cleaning their
guns, some taking their breakfast; others Just
rising from their beds. A rebel officer fpris-
onef) said to me that it vas matter of sur
prise with them, on Saturday night, TO find no
picke;s and they only ~ miles from our
camp. This is grave question. Why had
we no piczets QUIT The General in command
will be compelled TO give satisfactory reason
for this neglect OF duty. The battle field in
shape was That OF an ellipsis, the long dame
ter about miles, the shor. diameter about 3t5
to 4 milcs, aud the whole forest rs well as the
earth beneath looks us If terrible hurricane
had passed over it-and surely it has been
nothing less than terrific storm OF bnIlets,
accompanied with the laundering of artillery
Such was lis rage that the earth was covered
with small trees. tree-tops, human bUdies aud
horses, which realized the awful effects of that
storm of EHo she'll. The whole area is
literally covered with graves. saw one pit
which contained 400 bodies. Il should not he
forgotten, although it may be bumiliating to
acknowledge it, yet, nevertheless it is true, that
We were badly whipped on Sunday and had it
not been for our guuboats many men would
have been made prisoners. The officers on the
ground told me that had il not been for Gen.
Baell's timely MD, the rebels would have re.
gained all they iest at Fort Donelson. Sun
day night General Beauregard slept in Gen.
Shcrmun's quarters. Mondays fight regained
what was lost ON Sunday. except camp equip
page, officers trunks and baggage, which were
carried away by the retreIting foe. The csti.
mate Of our loss by some is tOo low. We
must have had in killed not less than from p
900 10 $500; wound from 5000 to 5000, and
1000 prisoners. 1t is stated by the officers
there that the rebel dead exceed ours IN ruin-
bcr, but our wounded is greater than theirs.
The SICK AND WoUSDED.-When VIC turr
our attention in this direction, our heart sick
| ems at the Thought. The suffering il untold
and can never be described. ''WhO can paiui
a dying groan?" The scene at Fort Donelson
which our eyes bcheld, is small in comparison
! TO this in human suffering. When wc arrivet
it was the seventh day alter tho fight ended
yet there were hundreds lying in tents uhcaret
for. so FAR rs medical or surgical aid IS con
eerRcd, Their comrades had given them some
thing to cat, it is true. but there they lay OF
their blankets, saturated with mud and water
with mutiIatcd bodies, torn and fractured limbs
l;any Of which were becoming gangreneous
and hundreds died in this condition for th,
want Of timely aid. But suffice it to saw, thar
Us fast as We Iound them, scattered through th,
different camps, We had them conveyed 10 oui
boat, and by Sunday evening our baat wa.
nearly full. BY ten o'clock Monday morning
it was filed to its utmost eapacity, aud yet w
had to leave many sill lying in their fillh al
most dead. / never shall forget their lool
when we were compelled to tel them We baf
no more room aud they Iaust wait for The nexl
boat. Our load numbered about 24O, most o
whom were severely wounded, and with bu
very few exceptions, their wounds were IN.
dressed. Our boat started, and our work com
menced. Coats were thrown OF and to vorL
we went in good earnest. Limbs were am,,u
tated, bullets extracted, fractures dressed, ant
all other wounds that could be named wer,
attended to--bOih nurses and surgeons having
no time to rest day nor night. 1t may b,
reasonably asked, why those wounds were no
attended TO by the surgeons on tho field?
will give you The answer they gave us, that tn,
Hospital stores and supplies OF fmedicin., vvcr,
insufficient TO meet The emergency; that tn,
Government does not furnish sufficient for sucl
times" With the best attention that couIc
be rendered these poor sufferers, many died O,
the way and were buried at the different land
ings. When we arrived at Cincinnati VIC haC
2l6 yet alive out Of our number. We wert
then compelled to ship them aboard the car
and take them to Camp Dennison to the hos
Piial. This reshiPping operated very unia
voraby TO their recovery. They we're lelt il
care Of Post Surgeon.
On the way an incident occurred, 10 connec
tion with one Of the rebel wounded, which
desire to mention, which viii show how tena
ciously they adhere to seeesh notions He wa
severely wound aud much reduced and ther,
remained no hope for his recovery. He wal
told that be must die, and was asked if be hat
any request to make. FTe said, II want you Il
write to my wife in Alabama, and tell her tho
cause of my illness, when and where 1 died
and where buried, and after a short pause (aI
if TO gain strength TO speak, said, ''be sure ant
tell her that Om not Union man: that
died in the faith" and in short time expived
Again, secesh Captain, wounded, said tha
he was thankful for any attention he might re
eeive, but said ne "be assured if live to get
home win fight again At the same tim,
Gen. Halleck's order was, to make no distinc
tion between The Rebel and Federal wounded