The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1863-09-19
NAMELEss HERo,s FoRTITUDE

We make the following striking extract
/ from Hospital Transports, - a little book
| just published by Tickner & Fields, and con-
Isisting chiefly of letters by Messrs. 0lmstead
and Knapp, detailing some incidents of their
texpefienee when acting for the Sanitary
Commission in the Peninsula campaign last
Summer:
Il am haunted by the laughing eye of a
brave New Hampshire Thanksgiving am
sure in agony-whom saw on tho.
This was one of the worst of the Gov
eminent transports; badly managed, hastily
loaded, and densely crowded. He was ly-
ing closely packed among some badly
little attention had passed him by, because
he looked as if he wanted nothing-so differ
emily from the others. Afterward, returning
that way, they seemed to have all fallen
asleep; but this mans strange, cheerful eye
met mine as was carefully stepping over
his feet. ''Do you want any thing, my MANI"
''Well, now you are there, I don't care if
you hist that blanket off my leg a piece, the
heft ont kind o. inks my wound -
Certainly" said, drawing it down, and
knowing at once that he must be painfully
wounded; sis there nothing else / can do
for you? would MT you like cup of water?"
If you have got some cool water handy,
I should be obliged to you. I've got some
in my canteen they gave me this morning,
but it's got warm
brought him some as soon as I could.
''That tastes good" says he. "Do you know
where this boat is going?"
''She goes first to Fortress Monroe; wheth-
er they will send her on from there to New
York, or take you ashore there, I do Mt
know. 1t will be decided when you get
there"
"They mustn't keep me there. must
go home"
"Where is your home?''
cit is place called Keene, up in New
Hampshire"
whats the matter with you?''
"Got ball through my thigh"
"Did it touch the bone?''
"Yes, broke it snap off,
''Rather high up the thigh, is MT it?''
"Just about as high as it can be; the doc
tors, they tell Newell, first they told me
that It would kill me if they did MT take it
off,and then they told me it would kill me
if they did take it off; it's SO high up they
say they can't do it. So, accordin' to their
account, I've got to go anyhow. That's
what the doctors make out; but I'll tell you
what think: l think God Almighty's got
something to say about that. If he says so,
we'll and good, 1 ha'n't got notbin' to say.
But I'd like to get back to Keene. They
must send me.''
"I'm afraid it would hardly do to send
you out to sea, the motion OF the vesseP'-
go, l amt a bit afraid of that, do MT
mind the hurt ont. The old doctor he was
MT goin' to send me; he said It WANT no
use, and there was Mt no room. But after
they'd got about loaded up the young doc
tor came along, and got hold O. him, and
[ told him they must send me, and finally he
told 'em they must get me IN somehow.
That did hurt, that are. Fact is, tainted
away when they put me in, it hurt so.
never felt anything like that. But 1 tell
you, when l come to, and I found l was
rattlin' along down here, did MT mind how
much it hurt"
"Is it painful now?"
''Well, when they step round here, and
when the engine goes, it's kinder like
jumping toothache, down there. Well, yes,
it does hurt pretty bad, but I don't mind,
if they'll only let me go home. guess if
they'll let me- go home, can pull through
it somehow; aud if l don't-that's God
Almighty's business, too; amt consumed
about that" ~
And he smiled again, that brave, man to-
man, knowing New England smile. Hound
that his wound bad not been dressed in three
days; fortunately there was time for me to
get Ware to dress it before the boat left"
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