Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-01-06

and i, Is no; strange that Capt. S,rickIe was
urged % take quarters in this hne house. The
last vestige Of a hotel having been destroyed. i
Is not 70 be denied that ] availed myself OF the
Advantage OF having a cousin IN high places,
and took a position on his s,aa. which brought
me to witness the way hospitals are made.
We had Ius, taken possession OF the suit of
rooms opposite the pariors and opened ont our
o%ficial desks and safe. and had promised what
ever protection 70 the family and furniture our
official presence would afford. when DR.. W urtz,
the Medical Director, entered and said that ne
wanted this house as a hospital. There was
something said which looked like driving Us out,
but the Captain is not the man 10 surrender at
discretion. and after a few words we were per-
mitted to move into the parlors. These were
large rooms. On each aOor were carpets which
cost 5000, IN each room 4 miFTor costing an equal
amount. and then sofas and ''tete a tetes' and
marble tables and rare shells TO match. The
doctor proceeded UP stairs 70 give notice 10 the
women. There were four or five Of them. An
aged widow. probably 90, whose husband had
gone South with the negroes of his plantation,
was the mother Of them all.
The proprietreSs Of the house was the wife Of
n surgeon now in the Southern army, and the
Others were sisters whose husbands we're in some
position or other The salutation OF the doctor
vas very brief and very positive. I'VE want
tti- house iHf Il Hfrltftf Ii-l"Ntf was Az IL
he said. The mother ventured a feeble rrotest,
but lac only repeated hs command. and added
The sick will be here in an hour, madam. We
had ample hospital rooms and hospital stores, in
GLIDING medicines. mattresses, &c, but your
friends burned them, and our sick must not lie
out Of doors. You may get out with what you
can in an hour, but you must leave whatever will
contribute 20 the comfort of the sick IL would
be impossible 10 describe what follow ed. There
49, ...- - - g.. ..1 .el.. - a
clothes aud keePsakes Occasionally there was
a tear. but for the most part there was a stoical
submission to the hard lot of war, which / had
hardly expected TO sec. The more ardent occa
sionally uttered a prayer that every Yankee who
came in might drop dead oil the spot, but that
was all. IL was soon determined 10 put the best
bedsteads aud best bedding in the parlors, aud
icave is contents in the care Of Captain Strickle
and his counsin. This has furnished ". the
cousin in particular, with c%anopied bedsteads and
downy beds, Brussels carpets and large mirrors,
for the Captain pervegsely prefers his cot.
The women were finally allowed to retain one
room up stairs, hut their kitchen and, servants
houses were taken for hospital purposes. ] be.
iieve that a few goods were stored in the garnet,
but most of the mattresses and bed clothes were
turned over to the hospital department. But
these we're not sufficient, hence details were dis
patched 10 any and every house where mattresses
tophlh- uttu0ilHt cups ltaNtrs hiiiNt7f WihN tuu
spoons could be had. They returned soon Will
but partial success. for other loraging parties for
other hospitals had preceded them.
The reality OF this state OF affairs cannot b'
known by your readers who remain quietly a
home. Their taxes may be heavy, and thei
sacrifices great, but the bosom of destruction bai
not swept over them. The desolation of tn,
town is more than duplicated in the country 1
would afford but ma imperfect view of the condi
ton OF things here to imagine the fine houses o
W III. Talbot. o Tousey. j NJ Ray. and other
OF like style. to be emptied OF their occupants
aud their carpets and bedding, table ware and lin
furniture. all given over to sick cOnquerors. VIII,
occupy the best rooms by the score, aud then TO
the humber houses to be ransacked for beds am
cooking utensils. regardless OF the wants of tn
owners. and then TO see Powell Rowland AN
Andy Wilson 80 stripped of corn and meat, cat
tie, and every living creature, rs % be dependeu
upon the gatherings of negroes for the means q
! supporting life. with not a fence lett. sor a sery
!, ant that is the fate of war. Aud yet you II
more realize it than you DO the suferngs of ia
battle field from reading the results OF a blood
. engagement. L. y. q.