The Placer herald., 1863-06-06

attendant upon amputaton had well nigh drained
them to the last drop. Their faces were as white
as the tidy ccilings they were whining like bl-
bies; and only the rolling eyes distinguished them
from mutilated corpscs. Some seemed quite
broken in spirit and who could speak, OBJ
serving my ptiiul glanccs toward his severed
thigh, drew up his mouth and chin. and wept. as
II, with the loss of comeiness, all his ambitions
were frustrated A few attendants were brushing
off the insects with boughs OF cedar, laving the
sores. or administering cooling d2ughts. The
second story of the dwelling was likewise oc-
cupied by the wounded; but in a corner clustered
the terrified farmer and his family. vainly at
tempting to turn their eyes from the terrible
spectacle. The farmers wife had 4 baby at her
breast and its little blue eyes were straying over
the room, half wonderingy, half deghtedly.
thought with shuddcr OF bahyhood thus sur
rounded, and how in the long future, its first
recollcctions OF existence should be of booming
guns and dying soldiers.
The cow-shed contained seven corrscs. scarcely
yet cold, lying upon their backs in II row. and
fast losing all resemblance to man. The further
est removed seemed to be diminuive boy; and
thought if he had mother, that she IN ght some
time like to speak with me. Beyond my record
OF the names of those, falsely spelled, perhaps,
they would have no history And people call such
deaths glorious. Upon II pile of lumber and
some heaps of fence rails close by. sat dozen
ofwonnded men. mainly Federals with bandaged
arms and face, and torn clothing. There
one shot in the foot, who howlcd at every effort
to remove his boot; the blood leaked from n rent
in the side. and at last the leather was cut piece
meal from the flesh. They ate voraciously, though
in pain and fear, for Il little soup and meat were
being doled ou, to them.
The most touching of all these scenes was
presented in the stable or barn on the premises,
where Il bare dingy lloor-the plankS of which
tilted and shook rs one made his way over them
was strewn with suffering people. Just at the en-
fran ,t h,v lly linll l,nth bu,n
been torn out by Minnie ball He crouched
against the table in darkness and agony, tremu-
lously lingering his knees. Near at hand sat an
other. who had been shot through the middle Of
the forehead, but, singular, to relate he still
lived though lunaic. and evidently beyond hope.
Death had drawn blue and yellow circles beneath
his eyes, and he mutcred incomprehensibly, wag
ging his head. Two men perfectly naked lay in
the middle Of the place, wounded in the bowels
and loins; and at mich in the weather boarding.
where some pale light peeped in. four mutilated
wretches were gaming with cards.
was now led little way down the railway
to the Contedcrates. The rain began to fall
at this time, and the poor fellows shut their eyes,
to avoid the pelting of the drops. There was no
shelter for them within mile, and the mud alb
soutcly reached half way up their bodies Near
ly one-ihird had suffered ampuation above the
knee. There We're about thirty at this spot; but
owing to the destruction of the Chickahominy
bridges, by reason OF !, lreshct they could not at
present be removed to White House. Some of
them were fine athletic fellows and my attention
was called to one who had been married only
three days before.
"Dcctor." said one fccbly, IL feel very cod.-
Do you think that this is death? Ii seems to be
creeping 10 my heart. have no feeling in my
feet and my thighs are bcnumbcd"
a Federal soldier came along with bucket of
soup. and proceeded to fill the caneens and plates.
lie appeared to be a relative of Mark Tapey
and possessed much Of that estmable persons jol-
lty.
"Come, pardner!' he said, "drink yer sup
Now, old boy. this ill warm ye; sock it down,
and yen see yer sweetheart soon. You dead.
Allybammy? Go way now! You'll live hun
dred years-you will; that's wot you'll do. Won't
ye lad? What Not any Get out! You'll be
slap on your legs next week. and hev another
buttcrnut trousers! Say! Wake up, and take
some o this. Halloo. lad, partner, wake up!"
He stirred him gently with his foot; he bent
down to touch his face grimncss came over
his merrimcnt; the man was stiff and dumb.
Colonel Baker. commanding the SSth New York
II tall, martial Irishman, took me to the works
where some of his slain still remained. We had
proceeded but very little way. when we came
to a troddcn place beneath the pines, where a
scalp lay in the leaves and the imprint of a body
was plainly visible. The bayonet scabbard lay
at one side. the canteen at the other. We saw
corpses, however, as fatigue parties had been in
terIing the slain. and the wood was dotted with
heaps of clay, where the dead slept beneath the
oozy trenches. Quantities of cartridges were
scattered here and there, dropped by the retreat
ing Coniederates Some of the cartridge pouches
that examined were completely filed, showing
that their p0ssessors had not fired single round,
others had but one cartridge missing. There
were fragments of clothing. hair, blankets, muir
dcrous bowie knives, spurs, TASKS, caps and pumes
dropped all the way through the thicket, and
the trees on every hand were riddled with balls.
came upon squirrel. unwittngly shot dur
ing the fight; not only those who make the war
must feel the war! At one of the mounds the
burylng party had just completed their work. and
the men were throwing the last clods upon the
remains. They had dug pits OF not moe than
two feet in depth, and dragged the bodies heed
lessly to the edge, VIII nee they were toppled
down. and scanty covered. Much of the inter
ring had been done by night. and Il flare of Ian
terms upon the discoored faces and dead eyes
must have been hidcously effective. The grave
diggrrs, however, were practical personages, and
had probably little care for dramatic eilecs.
They leaned upon their spades when the rite was
finished and large, repulsive-looking person.
who appeared to be privileged upon all occa-
sions, said .grinningly: Colonel, your honor,
them boys II niver stand forninst the Irish brig
ade again. If they'd ha' known it was us, sirra,
begorra! they'd ha' brought cofins wid' en-"
No, nivcr!" They got THAR tickets for soup!'
We kivered 'hm at, well inough!" shouted the
other grave e-diggers
DO ye behave colonel, )" said the first speaker
agad, ''that them rbals II lave US chance to
catch them? BE me sowl. I'm jst wishing to
warrum me hands wild rifle practice"
The presence of death seemed to have added
no fear oeit to those people; having tasted blood
they now thirst Tor it, and | asked myself, fore
bodingly, if a return to civil life would find them
less terocous.
The memorable retreat from the Chickahominy
to the james, whereby Mcclellan saved the relic
OF his distressed and beaten army, was series
of horrors, which the limits of this article will
not allow me to recapitulate. A sketch of the
opening Of the battle of White Oak will answer
for the present.
On the night of the 26th Of June. 1862 went
to sleep on the brow of one the hills forming
the South bank Of White Oak Creek. The Fed
eral army had crossed during the night, and
the bridge and causeway through the swamp had
been destroyed behind them crash and a
stunning shock as of falling sphere, aroused