The Nevada Democrat., 1862-04-12
NUMBER 500.
Horrors OF the Battle Field.

A correspondent who witnessed the bat
tie at Fort DonelsOn, graphically describes
some of The incidents of The conflict:
Many of the enemy upon the battlefield
after we had obtained possession of n mart of
the lntrenChment on Saturday afternoon
we're horribly wounded, mostly by our MI
ME rifles and Enfield mnshets. and usu.
ally ln the face or on the head. Poor fel.
lows lay upon tne ground with their ewes
and noses carried away, their brains ooz-
ing from their crania, their mouths shot in.
TO horrible designation, making a hideous
spectacle that must haunt those who saw IL
for many future days, and rise in horror
through many distempsred dreams.
| cav an old gray-haired man, mortallv
wounded, endeavoring TO stop, with a strip
of his coat. the life.tide flowjag from tho
bosom of his son, a youth of 20 years. The
boy told his father it was useless: that he
could not live; and, while the devoted pa
rent was still feebly striving to save him
VINO was perhaps his flrstborn, a shudder
passed through the frame Of bis woald.be
preserver; his head fell upon the bosom of
the youth, and bis gray hairs we're bathed
in death with the expiring blood of his mis-
guided son. saw the twain half on hOnr
after; and youth and age we're locked, life
less, in one another's arms.
A derk-haired young man of apparently
y or %, found leaning against a tree. his
breast pierced 10y bayOnet. He said he
lived 10 Alabama; that he had Joined the
rebels in opposition TO his parents wishes:
that his mother, when she had found he
would go into The army, had given him her
blessing, q bible, and lock of her hair.
The bible lay half opened upon the ground.
and the hair, dark lock, tinged with gray
that bad been between the leaves. was in
bis hand. Tears we're in his ewes. ms no
thought of the anxious mother. pausing.
perhaps, amid her prayers, to listen for the
loUg-expected footsteps of her son. who
would never more return. In the lock of
hair, even more than in the sacred volume.
religion was revealed to the dying Young
man; and saw him lift the tress again and
again to his lips, as his eyes looked dimly
across the misty sea that bounds the shores
OF Life and Death; as if be saw his mother
reaching out to him with the arms that had
nursed him In his infancy 10 die, alasl fgh.
ting against bis country and her counsels
whose memory lived latest In his departing
soul.
A Secession soldier, a member of the 10th
Qrisb) Tennessee Regiment, believe. was
lying Just inside Of the fortifcations. His
glazing eyes gave assurance that life was
embraced 10 minutes. He held a rosary
and cruci6x in his hand. aud his moving
lips were doubtless offering prayer. He
had evidently endeavored to kneel. but was
too weak. One of our soldiers saw and
hurried to bin, to assist him in his attitude
OF prayer; and while engaged in this kind
office, shot from the rebel canon struck
and killed them both.
In two instances / noticed wounded foes
lying near each other who were offering
water TO one another from their canteens:
and so humane and gentle we're our living
to the wounded and dying enemy that one
would bave supposed they we're the nearest
and warmest friends
One fierce rebel, Mississippian, refused
all aid, though badly wounded, and had en-
deavored TO shoot member Of one of the
Indiana regiments who had approached TO
render him assistance, which 50 outraged
the gOod.hearted soldier that he lifted his
musket TO blow out the enemy's brains. A
moments reflection made him magnani-
nous, however, and he left the Mississippi.
an to care for himself