Winchester journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1862-1863, 1863-11-20
From the Springfield lMass.) Republican.
ONE MORNINGS WORK.
By ANNIE s. DC WINS.

The great wheels Of heavy wagons
numbering slowly over the uneven
paycments, SO clanked and rolled
and creaked and dragged, that they
walked me from sleep, and caused me
to jump quickly out of bed and open
the blinds. The grayness Of early
morning, SO rested upon and en-
shrOuded every object OF the wide
styeeted, unfamiliar southern city,
that | was completely bewudered,
and for few minutes could Net i'm
agne what those odd looking vehi-
cies, each one accompanied by an
armed cavalry soldier, could be-
Was | dreaming, and Of Les MiSer3-
! bles ? Could it be | was watching
with Jean Vatican and Cosette that
specter troop OF galley wretcnes,
which one morning SO sickcned Their
souls and chilled their bodies? ]
rubbed my eyes, remembered where
/ was, located the street, and peer
/ inc through the mist, soon saw the
familiar L. 5. A. on the sides of the
carriages. They were ambulances
bearing wounded from Stone river,
who for a number of days had been
expected at the hospital on 18Th
street l recalled that the surgeon
in charge had told me the day before
he had received telegram, bidding
him expect them 10y boat, twenty
four hours after date of dispatch
! There were number of volunteers
and reserved hands standing near rs
he spoke. and he asked us all to bC
on Tie spot when they arrived, as foi
n few hours there would be n press
Of work Now here they were, twelve
hours earlier, and just at the time
when every body in hospital and
square was least prepared for them
My resolve was quickly taken; !, OF
all in the house. was alone awake; il
was only a few steps to the hospital
SO, hurrying on my clothes, ! stepped
/ out Of ny low window on to the
! porch. ram down through the long
back yard. through gate into al
open lot. in western s. eech called
commons; ;; | gained the street
without disturbing any body bul
Jack. the big Newfoundland, who
was SO shocked at my irregular pro
ceedings that lie planted himself
right in the gate, and declined NOV
ing. Finding out his intention to
hold me prisoner, and not being able
to get round or over him. | stcpl cd
on HIM, SO much to his disgust, that
he did not dcign to bark. or to utter
the low, ominous crowl that would
have brought masculine individual
TO tie window. and sent 4 feminine
one back into the house.
SO much advantage did my short
cut over the commons give me,
that | gained the hospital before the
ambulances were all unioadod. At
first, to my inexperienced eyes. blind
cd by the half light Of the hour, all
the men horne up the steps or
stretchers looked rs il they were
dead; Int soon low moans, Is they
were subjected to accidental iarring.
told me they were alive to suffering
at least. / could not get in at thl
main entrance. bat knowing the
building | went in ut q little side
door. and gained the ward whose
nurse ! knew best, and where | daily
did light, simple jobs to relieve her
She was rapidly pushing the clean
beds, which | saw at glance were
al empty. nearer each othcr, and on
ly looked ZIP at me to say, I'm RIGHT
glad to see you: eve got our hands
Just full for the next twenty -four
hours, | reckon You'll find | was
much interested in many Of the men
who last evening were in this ward
and ! merely asked where they were.
She was too busy TO answer. hut Z
black brother. who enjoyed talking
and hated pushing beds, informed
me They had done toted 'em into
tents in the yard