Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-02-02
MORNINGLEADER.
6I0VDAY M0RNINs, FEB ,, Is6s.
sERToHRs FR0T MURFREEsBORO'


question as to the possibility Of going on
to MurfreesbOrO' that day seemed to be
generally decided in the negative, and my
companion decided to 60 back and give it
up. Having sort Of Yankee pertinacity,
which always objects to giving itup," |
determined to make an effort to get acrOs.
the river. Surgeon Wood kindly offered
me the use Of an ambulance aud driver,
and by inquiry found there was bridge
crossing the river some six miles higher
: up. For this point determined to make
apush, although the country was said to
be 50 flooded with water as to be impassa-
bic, and there was no road When it be-
came known that was determined to
make the attempt, quite a number Of wa
gOns and passengers for Murfreesboro'
concluded to 60 along, too, SO that we
started out with quite train. Over rocks
and stones and fences, torn down by the
eontending forces in the great battle
through plOEed fields, taking in the wheels
g1up to the hub-thrOugh swollen creeksand
fats flooded with Water-we made our SLOW
ana toilsome way, often confused by the
lWoedsy and crooks and turns made tOagoid
sfObstacles, until at last about the middle Of
the sfterneon, we vame Get upon the
hlHpike9 for which we were in search, and
were cheered by the intelligence, obtained
from soldier, plodding along with a con-
dscated turkey slung across his shoulder
upon his bayonet that the bridge was on
~ two miles ahead, and was not carried
away. Before dark we entered Murfrees-
boro. Here the crowds Of soldiers in the
streets, and the long lines of white tents
IN every direction, and trains Of Govern
ment wagons, indicated the presence Of
large army. Here, at the headquarters Of
the United States Sanitary Commission,
found Mr.. Atwater from Cleveland and
Mr.. Seymour of Painesville, busily en-
gagged trsnsaeting the business, distribut-
ing. stores, sc. On inquiry at the Medical
Directors, ] ascertained that there were
Eseven general hospitals in the town filed
with sick and wounded soldiers. mostly
the latter. Besides fhese, several buiidl
Is were occupied as hospitals, the pre-
else locality Of which -oeBld only be sscer-
tained by enquiry and search As these
hospitals had been so overwhelmed with
patients, and thecsre Of them, as to be un-
able to keep registers, it was a task Of no
little difficulty 10 obtain lists Of the pa
tients and the particulars regarding them
required for our purposes. In a majority
Of cases I had 20 see each individual and
obtain the particulars. By hard labor for
three days the lists were completed in
town, and dispatched on their way to lou
-isvile.
found the patients in the General Hos
pitfalls as well cared for as could be expect
ed under the circumstances; but the
amount Of suffering among the hundreds
Of bleeding and mangled heroes of the
bloody battle Of Stone River, was enough
to make the heart ache with pain and sym
pathy. During the time while thus en-
pleyed attempted to gather accurate in
formation regarding the number Of dwell
ing houses scattered over the extended
surface Of the battlefield for miles up and
down along the river, which had been
filed with wounded during the progress of
the conflict, where they still for the great
= eF part remained, the regular hospitals in
Murfreesboro having been hitherto too
crowded to admit them, many of the
wounded being also in no condition to
bear transportation. Satisfied that the
only way to obtain complete lists Of the
wounded in these Field Hospitals was to
visit them personally, hunting them up
for myself concluded to start out on the
search. Sunday train Of wagons came
in, having 2, 400 lbs. OF fresh bakers bread
forwarded By the Sanitary Commission
from Nashville for the use Of the patients
in the hospitals Up to this time no bread
had been received in the hospitals the
bakeries in Murfreesboro not being yet in
operation.
On Monday started out with a six-mule
team, Government wagon, and negro dri-
yer, on an exploring expedition over the
battlefield. The wagon being well load
ed down with soft bread, a large variety Of
dried fruits, butter, few shirtsaRd draw
ers, mot near enough Of the latter, Of
which I found great need rywhere, a
lot Of handkerchief, stamped s. A. S.
Northern Ohio, salt fish, barley, farina
wine, cOmforters aud blankets for those IN
tents, many Of whom were suffering fol
want of fsuficientcoveringd during the damp
cold nights Of the storm, pillows and pill
-loW-osses, socks, dried beef, SC, sc. Dr.
Barrell, Medical PurveyOr for the Center
volunteered to accompany me and assis
in dealing out the stores, and righ
pleasant companion and genial gentleman
found him TO be. Towards noon, on Mon
day, January 18th, 1868, six-mule team
with negro driver on the near wheel
horse attached to said Government wag
on, might have been seen rattling out o
Murfreesboro', Oh the Nashville Pike, viii
your humble servant and the Doctor en-
sconsed among the plunder." We fOuuC
the water SO far subsidized ut the usual fOrI
as to be able to cross without difficulty, al
though the water came up TO the bottom
Of the wagon, and the current was TerJ
strong The first hospital We found wa
upon the pike, about three miles out from
Murfreesboro' This is a private hous
with several out-buildings, and surround
ed BY q large number Of tents In tn
buildings and tents altogether were 16
wounded Union soldiers, and quite q nun
Der Of asecesh." Here We found them il
great need Of the stores which we ha
-h-eught alnng and Of which we coul
only give them part, as some must b
retained for those we were yet to visit.
The poor fellows we're cheered and dc
lighted by what we did give them, and th
promise Of more which we're on the wa
and expected at Murfressboro, when Doc
tor Drain the Surgeon in charge, woul
send insfor furfhur supplies. One it'll
incident must relate. As the handkeI
Culbl1f De4Slc A4GAAAoheAf rnlcL6 bGAAlB uAl
.tributed, one poor fellow, an Ohio boy
with limb shattered, raised himself pal
italy upon one elbow aud reaching tn
-hAndkerchiefs over to his companion sal
: with bright smile flooding his pale
features; 81 Bill, do you see that ?" point
ing to the mark Is. As. Northern Ohio
Sc that comes from home p As he san
back upon his cot and pressed the kerobiC
to his lips, I knew that the kiss printe
th.-a -. sac-ad 1Eitl The marnorias of ln-