The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-07-25
Report OF our Military Agent al
Washington.
INDIANA MILITARY AGENCY, ]
WASHINGTON, D. c., :
July 16, 1863.

S1R-I started on the 9th inst for the
battlefield of Gettysburg, accompanied
by FIVE assistants, and carrying with US
lint, bandages, shirts, drawers, and wine
for the relief of our soldiers wounded in
the late engagement The railroad to
Gettysburg being out of order, we were
compelled to take a less direct route by
the way of Westminster. At this point
application was made to the Quarter
master for transportation for our COM
panv-the Quartermaster not having a
single horse or wagon at his disposal
The Provost Marshal Informed US that
our trip might be attended with danger,
as he had Just received information that
Stuart's cavalry had made their appear
ance between Westminster and Gettys-
burg, and he had ordered the supply
trains which were en- route for Fred
erick to be stopped some two miles from
town.
During the afternoon of the 9th inst.
we succeeded in procuring transporta-
ton. A Government train of wagons
loaded with grain was passing, and, dis
tributing our company, each one secured
for himself and luggage a small space in
some one of the already wellflled wag-
ons. On Tuesday, the 7th, we reached
Littlestown, where we parted with our
trains. At this point, though eight miles
from Gettysburg, there was sad and
abundant evidence of the ferceness of
the late conflict. Hundreds of wounded
were there, in church and schoolhouse
i'm barns and shops. Here we found
DR.. Carver, Assistant Surgeon of the
10Th Indiana Volunteers, sick, but Civ
ing his attention to the wounded, and
having been detailed to wait upon Lieut..
Colonel Dudley, who was dangerously
wounded, and who has since lost leg
by amputation. We visited the wounded
at this place in all the different quarters
where they had sought rest. Wounded
men came around US asking for lint and
bandages, and were supplied. The pro-
prietor of the largest brick building in
the town, which had been closed against
our suffering soldiers who were lying
upon its porches, very readily accepted
the better of the alternatives offered him
to open his house himself or have it
opened for him. At this point three
wagons were pressed into our service,
and dividing our company into pairs, we
started for the different Corps Hospitals.
Along the line of travel before reach
ing the hospitals we met hundreds of the
wounded who, being ale to walk, but
bearing in many cases dangerous hurts,
had been permitted to make their way
as best they could to the nearest depot,
which was some twenty-seven miles from
Gettysburg. -
The road from Littlestown, was
thronged with the wounded, hungry,
faint and weary, We met a benevolent
gentleman selling them bread at fifty
cents loaf He was a native of the
State. Others were heard of who had
cultiUated the grace of benevolence, and
could readily ask one dollar per loaf!
The loaves may have been large-I did
not see them. ..-.s
During this day (the 7th) visits were
made to the lst, I'd and Sd corrs hospit-
ais. and the next day to the 18th corps,
and the names of our wounded obtained,
reports of which were forwarded to you
last week The stores we carried were
the first to reach the battle field
In regard to the sufferings of the woun-
written. Having had no opportunity to
obtain them, my observation enables me
to speak on this subject. No battlefield
of which have knowledge will bear Gny
comparison with the battlefield of Get
tysburg. 1t furnishes abundant evidence
of the severest contest in which our ar
my Las ever been engaged, and that
which intensiies the horrors of this con-
hict, is the utter destitution which pre-
vailed for six days after the battle. There
had been no supplies to any considerable
amount carried with the army, and no
| train had arrived in Gettysburg until
seven or eight days after the battle. Add
to this the fact that the rebel army had
consumed the provisions of the SURROUND.
ing country, and you will be able to judge
| of the destitution.
The Surgeon of the I'd corps hospital
gave me list of his supplies when the
army commenced its pursuit of the rebels
A few stretchers, eight pounds of chic
reform, one box of bandages sixteen
rolls of plaster, and threepounds of lint;
and 1900 wounded.
DIR. Haines, Assistant Surgeon of the
10th Indiana Volunteers, was left in
charge of Seminary Hospital Under
his charge were several hundred wound
ed He was left without supplies of any
kind. Calling upon the Medical Pur
veyor for supplies, he was told that there
were none. Finding in the cellar of q
deserted house a crock Of lard, he filled
an empty fruit can with lard-took 6
sheet from bed, and tearing off strip
wick was prepared, and soon a lamE
was burning By this light he dressed
wounds for the first evening. Having
no bandages he went into the town, anC
entering house, took from the beds flint
sheets, which were soon converted int
bandages and lint for his patients
Within three hundred yards of the head
quarters of the I'd Corps Hospital, saw
on Sabbath morning, the 18th inst
twenty seven bodies of dead confeder
ates, unburied, the food of worms. Th
l Tor IN fO,.v y