Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1862-05-09

18th, we had the bodies of Captain Pease,
Colonel Alban, Major Grain and Captain
Waldo disinterred and placed in the eof-
fms provided for them. The remaining
wounded were visited BY the surgeons as far
as they were able and every preparation
was made to return home. Although /
nature around US had put on all the glories
Of fresh foliage, vernal bloom and emerald |
fields, yet were our hearts beating anxious
" to return to the land, where all was
still sere with "winter lingering in the
lap of SPRING Soon after noon the Gov
ernor with Dr. Wolcott arrived. He had
been devoting himself most UNIV eariedly to |
the purposes of his mission. He had spent
much of his time among our soldiers and
slept in their tents, intently studying til cir
wants and how their interests could be
best promoted He also had all about him
engaged either in finding out the condition
of the sick and wounded, and reporting the
same accurately to him. or supplying their
wants also in ascertaining the names of
those who had fallen in battle, or died Of
disease. He also devoted himself to as
certaining who had distinguished them
selves upon the tented field, that he might
by promotion and suitable notice do JUS
tice to all But the purpose that seemed
most to fill bis heart was to get all our
wounded m some convenient hospital,
where they could be best cared for and
reached by their friends. The difficulty
of carrying out this latter purpose was
found far greater than would be supposed
| by any enc who has not visited the army.
| The general government proposes to care
we'll for the sick and wounded, and have
no doubt does so except in sudden emer-
gencies like that at Pittsburgh Landing
and also except from the incompetency of
some of the Medical and surgical appoint
| ees. Their care is under medical directors
who are very unwilling to have their plans
interfered with. DR. Simons, the medical
director at Pittsburgh Landing, we were
credlbly informed, ordered Mrs. Senator
Harlan ashore from the D. A January,
although she had gone up there on that
| boat to care for Iowa's wounded who were
to return on the same to Keokuk. But
| her woman's spirit was too much for the
military doctor; she plumply refused to 60,
and the order was not enforced. But to
| the credit Of the Government and medical
director be it said shat this D. A. January
was every thing that could be desired in
a hospital boat, in cleanliness, in perfection
of arrangement and everything needed to
alleviate human suffering according to the
Judgment of the surgeons of the Governors
party who visited her. But these difficult
ties in providing as desired for our wound
ed and the fact that some must be left be-
hind, and his anxiety to satisfy fairly all
the conflicting claims fer the vacant pla-
ces, evidently weighed upon the spirit Of
the Governor and for the first tine during
the journey l noticed that he appeared
nervous and anxious. He arranged with
DIR. Carey to remain at Savannah to give
his professional services to those who were
left. He employed Mr.. Burnell to look
through our camps and the hospitals for
i
to them such consolation and assistance as
he could render and report to the Gov
ernor every week, and babe him assure
our brave and suffering soldery that Wis
consin followed them to the field with SYM
pathy and kindness A large portion of
the evening be spent with DR.. Carey and
MIR. Burneli, manitesting his anxiety for
those he was intrusting to their care. The
Minnehaha upon which he had engaged
our passage homeward was to have arrived
at six o clock P NJ. At nine o'clock she
had not arrived and his company, or most
of them had lain down Oh the floor of the
saloon of the Dunleith, Government boat,
on which we were waiting, and had fallen
asleep. The Governor had intended to
retire, but full Of his mission of mercy, had
delayed-until at 10 o'clock the Minncha-
ha arrived, when with clear animated
tone of voice, which I seem to hear ringing
In my ears, for they were the last words
beard him utter, he called on all his party to
go aboard Springing up we hastily followed |
him down to the lower decks. He passed |
around to the side of the boat towards |
which the Minnebaba was coming along
side, and at the moment when her bow |
had touched the bow of the Dunlcith and |
her stern was out in the stream and all |
was hustle in getting ready to make her
fast, 1t was said by some one in the crowd |
IN moderate tone of voice, 20 man over |
board, Governor Harvey" Ny first i'm
preston was that some one was telling it to
the Governor. The crowd between me
and where he had been standing was too
dense and the guard of the boat too mar
row for any one to pass. The lights on
the Dunleith we're very dim, or nearly, if
not entirely out, on the lower deck The