The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1862-10-08
Northern Reports.

We have been burying our dead and
carrying off the battle field our wounded
| have JUS, returned from the sickening
spectacle. Soldiers who went through
all the battles Of the Peninsula say Fair
Oaks and Malvern Hill were as nothing
compared with it. The dead do lie in
heaps. the wounded are coming in BY
thousands. Around and in large barn
about half mile from the spot where
General Hooker engaged the enemy's
left, counted 1850 wounded Along
the same road and within the distance Of
two miles are three more hospitals each
having from 600 to 700 in them, and
long trains Of ambulances standing in the
road waiting TO discharge their bloody
loads. Surgeons with hands, arms and
garments covered with blood, are busy
amputating limbs, extracting balls, and
bandaging wounds of every nature in
every part Of the body. Rebel soldiers
in great numbers lie among our own and
receive the same attention. saw a rebel
officer Of the 9th Alabama regiment en-
dure the ampu,ation of his leg without
the use Of chloroform. Every muscle in
his face was contracted, his jaws looked
as it in death spasm, but no sound Of
pain issued from him. The saw and the
knife did their work, but they could not
wiring from him an expression Of physical
agony.
Keenysville, Boonesboro,' Middletown,
and presume Frederick are being rapid
ly filled with the wounded from the bat
ties of Sunday and Wednesday.
The inhabitants in all these villages are
laboring night and day TO relieve the dy
ing and the suffering. A'more Christian
people, in the. practical significance Of
that word, never saw. Every private
dwelling is filled with the wounded
Carpets are torn up, costly furniture re.
moved, comfortable mattresses spread
upon the floor, awaiting the arrival Of the
ambulances. And much Of this prepara
tion for the wounded is without one
word from the medical directors IN re
gard to it. In the pleasant village Of
Mddletown, especially, / have seen moth
ing In the hospitals IN Washington that
indicated so much thoughttuness and
devotion. All the ladies in the village
are spending night and day with the
wounded.
IN killed and wounded no battle Of the
war will approach it. The rebels seem
to take off our officers almost before they
have time to draw their men up in line
Of battle. Nearly all the rebel officers
cannot be distinguished from the privates
a short distance off. Our own can be
seen mile. The loss however, in Off
GERS 10 the rebel racks must have been
very great The bodies Of Gen. Ander
son and Gen. Whiting we're this morn.
ing found lying among our own dead
Between forty and fifty rebel captains
and lieutenanis have also been found
and brought to our hospitals. have
conversed with many Of them, and they
all admit a very heavy loss.
Another correspondent says:
With the rest OF the past two or three
days, the troops are becoming refreshed
and invigorated, and are eager for ano,h
er battle with General Lee. The new
troops are doing much better than many
officers piophesied OF them. They are
very superior class Of men, and with six
months drilling, | predict, if this war
continues, they will make the fines, SOL
diers in the world.
Three regiments have been occupied
since Thursday morning in burying The
dead. i is beyond all question, and /
challenge any one who has been upon
the battle field 10 deny il, that the rebel
dead are almost three to our one. On
the other hand, we lost more in woun
ded. This is accounted for by our officers
from the superiority Of our arms. Many
OF our soldiers are wounded with buck
shot, which disfgures the body terribly,
but seldom produces fatal wound.
Nearly all the inhabitants of Sharps
burg have returned TO their dwellings
The work Of removing dead horses from
the streets and repairing the damages 10
the buildings, has commenced. Two
churches were nearly destroyed, and will
have to be rebuilt.
Fortunately, the mansions Of the rich
rebels suffered the most severely. The
d dwelling Of a Mr.. Grover, notorious Sc
eessionist, was almost destroyed. Dur
ing the cannonsde, the women and chill
dren were huddled together for three