The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-10-01
COMMUNICATIONS.
Letter from a late Battlefield.
GENERAL HOSPITAL,
GETTYSRITRG Sent 11th 1899

OEIl SblRtr, sept. l4li 1900. J
To the Editor Of the Press;
SO much has been said and written about
Gettysburg, that hardly dare attempt word:
and yet, some things have come under my
observation OF local interest, and repeat them
for the sake of the dear ones, who. sheltered
in the towns, villages and hamlets of loyal old
Maine, send wishiul, loving thoughts after
patriot sons, husbands and brothers, who have
passed through the horrors safely or fallen
dead or dying upon the battlefield OF Gettys-
burg.
During recent visit met Mrs. German
of Rockland, Miss Judith Plummer of Levant.
and Miss Jenny Davis of Wellington, each
and al of whom were ministering in Christian
kindness TO our heroes who still claim Chris
tian sympathy Tor sufierings endured for love
of country and the dear old flag
Among the soldiers | met ii. L. Haskell,
9th Battery, from Dixon, Me-, w. III. Sturde-
want, Sd Me-, of Gardiner, c. III. Rowell, 4th
Infantry j. p. Estes, 18th Infantry, OF Bethel
or Rumiord- Corner, and Richard NJ Blaisdrll,
10Th Me-. from Phipsburg also others whose
names have forgotten.
| went through the Burial Ground of the
18th Army Corps, but found no son of Maine
marked as resting there. At the Burial
Ground of the General Hospital / saw the
graves of NJ. S. Call, Co. c, 10Th Me-, r. Finch.
Co. E. 7th Me-, and Crosby Ii. Booking, Serg't
Co. G. 4th Me.
As the weather is growing cold the sur
geons talk of breaking up the hospitals and
removing the wounded to Baltimore, Phila-
delpha, &c.,-and presume this will soon be
done.
Among matters of interest at the Warehouse
hospital. let Inc mention something which is
after all the real occasion for the writing of
this letter. | have bible taken from the
knapsack of dead rebel which has a history.
= A. IL
with clasp is the name of Miss ALMIRA
ALICE WILSON, Presque Isle, August Is, '52
or Cpl cannot clearly see which. Ga the
first leaf is the name of Moses c. Ames or
Amors." Upon the opposite page is the name
of-"Wm. NJ. Nichols Company r. 21st reg-
ment, Georgia, V. l., May 27. 1863" Upon
the last leaf and cover is written, civilian
Martin Nichols Book picked mp on the at
tle-field near Chanceorville, May 1st, 1862
To which i have added, Taken from the
knapsack Of a dead rebel at Warehouse hospi-
tai. Gettysburg, July. 1863" My theory is
this: Miss Wilson gave the bible to William
Ames; Ames like loyal son OF Maine, enlis-
ted and fought at Chancellorvlle Either
killed, wounded or a prisoner, his knapsack
was rifed by a Georgian Damed Nichols.
Nichols in turn was wounded and captured at
Gettysburg, where he dies, and the bible falls
into the hands of nurse from Maine, who is
anxious to restore it to the original owner.
Will some one acquainted in Presque Isle tell
Miss Wilson or some of her friends. what |
have written, and say letter addressed to
Mrs.J. P. r., Box 1870. Harrisburg, Pa. will
be promptly answered and the bible will at
once be forwarded as precious relic.
Doubtless you have read of the captain,
lieutenant and private who were captured and
put under a guard Of two rebels at Gettys-
burg. who overcame and disarmed the rebels,
and brought them to Meade's headquarters.
The name of the private is John +. Norton,
Co. A. 5th Michigan cavalry. / enclose a
ring of his workmanship, made from the fuse
of a she'll which he found on the battle field
on Cemetery Hill. As have it from his own
hand you may rely upon its being "original,"
as | saw him at work upon il both in the
rough and in the finishing state. / also en-
close one to Mr.. Jewett and one to G. r. Da.
wis., made by the same man from the same
fuse.
l have several little mementoes which /
gathered upon the field where the 18th army
corps fought. which would like to send to
the Ladies' Committee, and may be will have
an opportunity for doing so.
One little story must tell you-fhough I
cannot vouch for the truth of it. The BOYS
tell it thus:
Among the wounded were several Germans
from u German regiment, and when one of
them died the boys proposed the German
chaplain should officiate at the funeral Ac-
cordingly grave was dug and the body at
tended by many comrades was borne to its
last resting place. Arriving there the Ger
man chaplain began:
Mine trens. dis ish de first time dis man
has d;ed.' Observing litter among his au-
dence. he began again in tone of Christian
severity:
mine frens, say, dis ish de first time dis
man has died" Human nature could bear
no more, and the boys shouted. Indignant at
the disrespect shown him as a minister the
chaplain turned round, pointed to the open
grave, and simply saying, ''stick him in"
marched away. Remember / do not voueh
for the story. but laughed over it till I cried
when heard 1t told.
There is small use in excusing my peman-
ship. A cold wind driving through an open
tent Is unfayorable to chirography, as well as
TO the convalescing of wounded men. Hoping
to be 'out of this" tomorrow, remain as ey-
er-yours for glorious old Maine,
gtN A. A. r.
P.S. Did yoirhear the shout from Gettys-
burg when the news of the Union victory
flashed over the wires? EIGHTEEN THOU
SAND MAJORITY was received with three
times three.