The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1863-11-19
THE LETTER.
ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND,
,n.. % 1899

Before this letter reaches you, the
splendid. project Of the Women Of the
Northwest will be blossoming in full
beauty. They will have thronged to
the city of the Great Lakes like doves
TO thoir windows" their hearts and Of
ferings in their hands; and Art, Flo
quencc and Song, the grand pageant,
the classic tableau, the exquisite device,
the glowing thought, will have hallow-
ed to the sweet uses of Mercy. The
lips of the marble images Of Mecca
were worn away they say by the kisses
of the pilgrims, but how must the
delicate touch of the true and loving
women smooth and beautity the iron
fate of our glorious Boys in Blue.
Close beside the scenes that brighten
your city like carnival, garlandcd
with flowers and glad with sunshine,
see shadow strange and sad. am
not sure that the laughing girls who
make Sharon of the Soldiers Fair,
doscern how heavy the borders Of that
night whence comes the dawn they
smile in. Lam not sure can do better
than to give an unstudiel story Of the
unseen side Of that golden shield OF
theirs-no Silcer side, alas but dark
dull iron. The Ohio at Louisville be
hind you, southward across Kentucky
and Tennessee you look upon a region
in the rear of the Army Of the Cumber.
land, breadth Of f308 miles to the spur.
of the mountains. That area once SC
lovely is dapplcd with those shadow,
strange and sad-the hospitals Of th(
Federal Army. At Chattanooga, Al
Bridgeport, at Stevenson, at Cowan, a
Dechard, at Murtrcesboro, at Nashville
strown along the way, are hocks o
tents sacred to mercy and the soldiers
sake. wish | could bring you noa
enough to see them; that | could lii
aside fold in ward A here, Or ward
there; that you mightscc the pale rows
each man upon his little couch, tn
white sheet setting close to the poor
thin limbs like the drapcry of the grave
1t would wonderfully magnify, | thin
the work you are doing, my Sisters.
Iwould not take you TO the Surgeon
quarters when the battle is beginning
when he lays off the green sash an
tinseled coat, and rolls up his sleeve
and spreads wide his eases filled wit
,glittcring silver, and prepares it
work They begin to come in, slowl
at frst-one man nursing Il shattore
arm, another bonre by his comradc
three in an ambulance, one on a stretcI
er; then faster and faster, lying her
lying there, waiting each his terrlb
turn. The silver steele grows cloud
and lurid true right arms are loppc
like slips Of golden willow; feet tht
never turned from the foe, forever wit
out an owner, strew the ground. I'll
knives are busy, the saws play; it
bloody work. All, the Surgeon wit
heart and head, with hand and eye
for such place is a prince among me
cool and calm, quick and tender,
foels among the arteries the tendon
as if they were harp strings But Il
cloud thunders, and the spitetul IN
patters louder and fierccr and the POI
fellows come creeping away in broke
ranks, like corn beaten down with Il
fails of the storm. MY God, criC
aSurgeon, as looking up an insta
from his work, he saw the mutilat'
crowds borne in "my God are all n
boys cut down |" And it thunder'
and rained. A poor fellow writhe